Blood Isn't Always Thicker Than Water
by BrxkenArrow
Summary: Earth, Water, Air, Fire. Alexander Beifong, son of Lin Beifong, is a young Earthbending Prodigy. He joined the Republic City Metalbending Police Force at the age of 18 and made Detective less than a year later. Follow him in his adventures as he encounters Avatar Korra and they work together to maintain balance in the world. OCxKorra. Rated M for POSSIBLE smut. REVIEW PLEASE!
1. Prologue

"You arrested the Avatar… And you didn't bother to introduce me?!" I screamed at my mother in shock, horror, and betrayal. "You know how much I idolized Avatar Aang! Why didn't you call me!" I wailed as I slumped into the couch in our home.

"Because that girl thinks she's so special, the laws don't apply to her." Mom huffed, looking away with her arms crossed. "She beat up three Triple Threat Triad members today when they were causing trouble."

"And that's bad, how?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's the Police's job Alex!" She shot back. "MY job!"

"You forget, she's the _Avatar_ Mom." I sighed in exasperation, shaking my head. "It's her job too. In fact, it was hers long before it was yours." I pointed out.

"I don't care." She hissed back. "Being the Avatar does not give her the right to vigilantism." She crossed her arms. "Besides, Tenzin's taking her back to the South Pole tomorrow. It doesn't matter anymore." She shrugged. I scoffed and slumped back into the couch.

"Was she just supposed to let those thugs extort the shopkeeper?" I asked sarcastically. Mom glared at me.

"No, she should have called the Police and stayed out of the way." She snarked back.

"And sit by, waiting for them." I deadpanned in response. "All the while, letting the situation get worse and worse until the thugs left. And then instead of three more thugs behind bars, we get three thugs still traipsing around Republic City." I sighed as I finished. "Aren't you always telling me not to let my personal feelings get in the way of my job?" I asked.

"Something you want to say?" She asked, giving me another glare.

"You're letting your feelings for Tenzin blind you." I monotoned. She narrowed her eyes at my response. "I know full well that you have no problem with the new Avatar; you and Aang got along quite well." I reminded her. "You're still pissed about what happened between you and Tenzin, and you're taking it out on the Avatar." I continued. She gave me 'the look,' as I like to call it.

"Is that all?" She asked dangerously. With an inward sigh, I held up my hands in surrender.

"Yes, it is Mom." I gave up.

"Good. Remember, you're still working that Triple Threat Triad case, Detective Beifong." She said, giving me a sharp look. "Do not fail me." With a sigh, I stood up and nodded, saluting her.

"Yes, Chief." I responded formally. "Permission to turn in for the night?" I asked, my formal tone hiding my sarcasm.

"Granted." She huffed, turning away. With a sigh, I turned away and entered my room.

As I closed my door, I let out another sigh. It seems to be the only thing I do whenever I'm at home. My mom can be so frustrating sometimes. Anyways, I walked over to my closet and opened it, holding my arms out. With a deep breath, I focussed on the armor that I wore. It was almost identical to my mother's, minus the few gold accents.

First, my gauntlets shot off of my arms and landed in the corner of my closet. They were followed by my boots unhooking at the back of my legs and flying into the closet as well and landing perfectly in the other corner. Finally, my cuirass floated up off of me and landed in between the gauntlets and boots, leaving me in a white undershirt and a pair of black leather pants. Taking those off, leaving me in my boxers and the shirt, I went into my bathroom to brush my teeth before going to sleep. I stared at my reflection, seeing my pale green eyes and dark gray hair, just like my Mom.

I guess introductions are in order. My name is Alexander Beifong, a Detective for the Republic City Police Department. I am 19 years old, and the son of Chief Lin Beifong. I know I might be a bit young for a detective, but I'm considered and Earthbending prodigy, so it's not that farfetched that I've made Detective. As stated before, I'm an Earthbender, and a pretty damn good one. I could even give my grandmother, Toph Beifong, a run for her money. I've learnt Seismic Sense, Metalbending, and Lavabending. Like I said, Earthbending prodigy.

Some of you might be thinking, how on Earth did _Lin Beifong_ get a kid? Well, long story short, my Mom got herself a fling, got knocked up, and when she told the guy, he ran off. I don't really know the details. I mean, my Mom has a lot of self-respect, so I don't see her having a fling with anyone, but she's never told me the details, so what do I know? Anyway, nobody really knows where my father is, but my theory is that Mom buried him six feet under as he tried to run. With Earthbending I mean. Heh, good riddance. Men who bail on a woman like that have always pissed me off.

Anyway, she may not be the nicest woman this side of republic City, but she's my Mom. And she's not a bad one either. Only problem is… Well, her care is… empty, for lack of a better term. She was never a bad Mom, and she's far from heartless; she wouldn't abandon her own child because of the circumstances concerning my birth. However, I find myself wondering if she really cares about me the way a mother usually does. I mean, she's my Mom, and I love her to death, but she's never out right said 'I love you' to me. The closest thing is when I was younger and I said 'I love you Mommy,' she would just reply with a dismissive 'Yeah, I love you too' and leave it at that. I can tell that what my father did hurt her a lot, but she's too stubborn to show it. I guess I'm just a constant reminder of what happened back then.

It's occurred to me many times that I don't even really know her all that well. I don't even know the basics about what any person would know about another. Favourite colour, favourite food, biggest fear, and all that. I gave up trying to build a relationship with her a long time ago. Ever since she started training me in Earthbending, we were more student and teacher than mother and son. I joined the Force because I wanted to be like her, but she thinks it's because I want to please her. I knew she had a strained relationship with Toph, but she just can't see that I'm a Detective because I _want_ to be. She wants me to take the path I want, and this is it. She became a cop because she thought it would make Toph happy, and it didn't go so well. That's not the case with me, and I can't get that through her thick, metal skull!

I took a deep breath to calm myself down as I finished brushing my teeth, looking into my reflection. I've been told many times that I look like my Mom, but I guess all she sees in me is my father. Wow, I really have a messed up family, don't I?

"With that depressing thought, it's time for bed." I sighed into the mirror before leaving the bathroom. I fell into bed with my face buried into my pillow. I guess it's a good thing I recently saved enough cash to buy that condo…

* * *

The next morning, as I finished washing up and eating, I started getting ready for work. Opening my closet, I saw my armour resting wear I left it. I turned around and held my arms out to the side, thrusting them forward. My cuirass opened and shot towards my back wrapping around my torso and clicking in place. My boots did the same, hooking around my calves and ankles. Finally, I turned to face my closet and held my hands out in fists, bending my gauntlets towards me, making them slip onto my arms. To finish up my Detective look, I grabbed my black trench coat and put it on, leaving the buttons open. I've never bothered with the helmet.

"And now, introducing Avatar Korra!" A voice from my radio caught my attention. I quickly metalbended the volume key to increase it.

"Hello? I'm Korra, you're new Avatar." A deep, female voice announced. That must be her. She sounds nervous, not that I blame her. Heh, all of a sudden she was being bombarded with questions from the press.

"Does this mean you've moved to Republic City?"

"Were you trying to send a message to the Triads yesterday?"

"Will you be fighting crime, or the Anti-Bending Revolution? Or both?"

"Will you be working with Chief Beifong and the Police?"

Ha! I can answer that one for ya pal, and the answer's no. Not because I don't think Avatar Korra would be an invaluable asset, but Mom wouldn't let the Avatar within 10 feet of a crime scene if she could help it. So no, I don't think the Avatar will be working with us.

"Uh yes, I am definitely here to stay…" The Avatar's voice answered nervously. Seriously, why is she on live radio? "But honestly, I don't exactly have a plan… yet…" I shook my head at her shaky tone. "I'm still in training!" She quickly added. "But, all I know is Avatar Aang meant for this City to be the centre of peace and balance in the world, and I believe we can make his dream a reality." Hm, she seems to be getting a little more confidence here. "I look forward to serving you! And I'm so happy to be here!" I could hear the crowd cheering as she finished, and I put on an impressed smile.

"Nice speech Avatar." I said, looking at the radio. "Now, I guess we'll find out if you can back that up soon enough." I said with a chuckle before leaving my home and heading towards the station. "See you soon, Avatar Korra." I whispered as I closed my front door, slipping on a pair of sunglasses.

* * *

 **I am so sorry! I have this nasty habit of going from one story to another whenever I discover a new format! Biggest reason is my Autism. I could either be heavily focussed on one story, or unable to focus on any one of several stories roaming about in my head. It's a curse. I promise to do my best to complete ALL of the stories I write. Sorry!**

 **Anyway, this is the Prologue of my Legend of Korra story. Now, before anything else, let me just state that this story has absolutely NO relation to my Last Airbender story. Alex here is NOT a Warrior of the Creator, he is NOT from our universe, and he has no clue what the future holds. This is just a regular OC insert, rather than a Self Insert.**

 **And yes, this will be an OC x Korra fic. There aren't very many of them, and I think they're awesome. Plus, I'm not a fan of the Korrasami ship. I mean, I support gay people and all, and it IS a good pairing, but there is NO fluff between Korra and Asami in the show, up until the last episode. And even that was a subtle hint. So, I decided to write a story without the teenage drama of Mako, Asami, and Korra.**

 **Oh, and just to let you all know, this chapter is the ONLY chapter in this story that will be in Alex's POV. I figured some of you might be getting sick of the constant 1st Person stories, so I decide that this one will be in 3rd Person, minus this chapter of course. I just find 1st person to be easier when setting up an introduction. See ya soon! ^^**


	2. Meeting the Avatar

Alex smiled as Air Temple Island came closer and closer in sight as the Ferry he rode on sailed through the waters. He was still working the Triple Threat Triads, and thought that maybe some info from Korra, who had an encounter with them, could help. And in no way was he there purely for the sake of meeting the Avatar. No-sir-ee.

"Thanks for the lift." Alex said to the Ferry driver, who nodded, as the boat stopped at the island's docks. "I'll be back in about an hour or so. Can you wait here?" He asked the asked the Ferry Driver, who nodded again, to which Alex smiled and walked onto the island over the Ferry's plank. He walked along the path towards the temple, only to be stopped by two guards.

" _Wait, why is the White Lotus here?"_ He thought to himself.

"Halt." One of them said sternly.

"No trespassers on Air Temple Island." The other spoke in an equally stern tone. With an internal roll of his eyes, Alex moved his coat's collar to the side, showing the badge on his chestplate.

"Detective Alexander Beifong. I'm here to consult Councilman Tenzin and Avatar Korra on a case I'm working on." He told them. Their eyes widened as they saw the badge.

"Apologies, Detective." They both both bowed.

"We were unaware of you rank. Please, go on." The other guard told him. With a chuckle, Alex returned their bow and continued on his way. Now, knowing Tenzin, he's probably training the Avatar in the courtyard. So, that's where Alex decided he'll go.

* * *

"Huh, I was right." Alex mused to himself. There he was, leaning against a pillar at the top of the stairs, finding Tenzin, his kids, and a tanned, blue eyed, brown haired girl. All of them wearing Air Nomad robes. From the looks of it, Tenzin was about to explain how the spinning gates exercise works. _"Wait, why is he skipping to the spinning gates?"_ Alex asked himself. He'd seen how those things work. You need to know how to move like an Airbender before actually doing any of these things. Then again, Tenzin's the Master, not Alex.

"The key to this exercise is to be like a leaf." Tenzin explained, holding up a leaf. He let it go and sent a small gust of wind at it, making it float towards the spinning gates. It gently levitated through the gaps between the gates as they spun, not touching them at all. "You have to flow, with the movements of the gates. Jinora will demonstrate." As Tenzin continued speaking, his eldest daughter walked up to the gates, going through them like the leaf did. "Airbending is all about spiral movements." He explained as Jinora went on, spinning and walking. "If you meet resistance, you must be able to switch directions at a moment's notice." He finished as Jinora came out of the gates and made a strong gust, keeping the gates spinning.

"Let's do this." The Water Tribe girl said with determination. The look in her eyes told Alex that she's definitely the Avatar.

"Five Yuans says she's gonna fail." He whispered to himself. With a deep breath, Korra charged the gates. "OK, she's done for." He sighed. As expected, Korra got pummeled by the gates. She wasn't even able to avoid the first one, and it only got worse. The first gate hit her back, pushing her further into the gates and getting hit by many of them at once. Tenzin was visibly cringing at the sight. By the time Korra came out, she was right back in front of Tenzin, who sighed in exasperation. "Maybe you should teach her how to move like an Airbender _before_ having her go through these obstacle courses." Alex spoke up loudly, gaining everyone's attention.

"Alexander?" Tenzin asked with wide eyes as Alex removed his sunglasses.

"Alex!" Ikki and Jinora exclaimed excitedly. They rushed over to him and hugged his waist tightly from both sides. "We missed you so much!" They said happily.

"I missed you too Girls." He said with a chuckle, kneeling and hugging them back.

"Unhand my sisters, Strange Man!" Meelo yelled, sending a large blast of wind at Alex. He quickly let go of the girls and brought up a wall of earth, blocking the blast.

"Nice to see you too Meelo." He deadpanned at the young boy, who looked at him with narrowed eyes as he brought down the Earth wall.

"Oh!" Meelo's eyes widened. "It's you!" He said happily, shooting towards Alex and hugging his neck. "Are you here to help me expand my domain?" The Airbending child exclaimed in excitement. Alex chuckled and hugged him briefly before putting him down.

"Who's this?" Korra asked with a groan as she got up from the ground with a hand on her head.

"I must say Alex, I was not expecting you here." Tenzin said as he approached the Detective who was hugging his children, letting the Avatar regain her bearings.

"Well, I'm working on a case, and I was hoping to get a little bit of info from you and the Avatar?" Alex asked. Tenzin hummed and stroked his beard.

"I'd rather Korra not be distracted during her Airbending training." He said, giving Korra a small glance.

"Oh, I won't take up too much of your time. Just wanting to ask a few questions is all." The young Earthbender assured him with a smile. Tenzin sighed heavily.

"Fine." he conceded, making Alex smile.

"So, I believe introductions are in order." He said with a smile towards the Avatar, who had regained her composure and approached the group. "You must be Korra." He gave her a small bow of his head. "My name is Detective Alexander Beifong." He introduced himself, holding out his hand.

"Korra, but you already knew that." They chuckled at her words as they shook hands. Then, Korra seemed to take in Alex's words. "Wait, did you say Beifong?!" She asked in shock. Alex laughed and nodded.

"Yes. I believe you had an encounter with my mother on your first day here, no?" He asked with an amused smile as her jaw dropped to the ground.

"That crabby old lady is your Mom?!" She almost yelled. Alex nodded. "How on Earth did SHE land a boyfriend? Much less get less some action?" She asked incredulously. "No offense." She added quickly.

"None taken." Alex laughed. "Anyways, getting down to business, I was hoping I could ask you some questions about the incident with the thugs you ran into." He told her, showing her the badge. She took a step back.

"I'm not in trouble am I?" She asked nervously. Alex chuckled and shook his head.

"No. I'm working on a case involving them and I'm hoping maybe you have some info." He explained, making Korra let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright then, why don't we talk about it over some tea?" Tenzin asked. Alex looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Pema's Jasmine?" He asked eagerly. At Tenzin's nod, Alex grinned widely and nodded in acceptance. Pema's Jasmine tea is easily the best he had EVER tasted! One would be hard pressed to find a tea shop that makes it as good as she does. And Alex wasn't even that much of a tea person.

* * *

"Alex!" Pema smiled brightly as Tenzin, Korra, and Alex entered the dining room of their home. She walked over to the young Detective and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you." She said as he hugged her back, being careful of her pregnant belly.

"And you too Pema. Sorry for not coming over sooner." Alex smiled at her as they separated. The Earthbender took a look at her belly and placed a hand on it. "How is the radiant Mommy-to-be, fourth time around?" He asked with smile.

"Amazing, thank you." She smiled brightly, placing a hand on her cheek. "I have a pot of Jasmine ready if you'd like some." She told him.

"Do you have to ask?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow and smile. Pema giggled at the answer and nodded, gesturing for him to sit down before walking off. Normally, Alex would have insisted that she take it easy, but Pema was stubborn. More stubborn than him, and he's an Earthbender!

"So, what can we do for you?" Korra asked as she and Tenzin sat opposite the Detective.

"Well…" He started, reaching into his coat. He pulled out three pictures and showed them to her and Tenzin. "Remember these guys?" He asked as the Avatar took the pictures.

"These are the guys I beat up when I first came here." She observed, earning a dirty look from Tenzin, who was no doubt still very unpleased by the endeavour.

"Yes, they are." Alex confirmed for her. "Since then, they've made bail and have been released." He informed.

"What?!" Korra exclaimed in shock, clearly not happy with the turn of events.

"I share your displeasure, believe me." Alex sighed. "Anyways, I've been working a case concerning their gang, the Triple Threat Triad, for about two weeks. Still got nothing. I was hoping maybe you heard something from them before you took them down." He told her as Pema came with a few cups of tea. "Thank you Pema." He smiled at her, gratefully taking the cup as she offered it. She smiled back and nodded, giving Tenzin and Korra a cup before leaving.

"Well, when I ran into them, the were extorting money from a phonograph shop owner." Korra told Alex, who nodded and took a note of that in his notebook.

"Do you know the name of the shop? Or the owner?" He asked her. She frowned in thought, rubbing her head.

"I think it was something like, Chum? Or Shun?" She mused, tapping her chin in thought.

"Mr Chung?" Alex asked. He knew of that guy. Korra nodded.

"Yeah, that's it." She confirmed. Alex smirked and wrote the name down.

"Thank you. This gives me somewhere to look." He told her, closing the notebook and sipping the tea. _"Mm, delicious~"_ He thought with delighted smile.

"Well, glad I could help, but I don't see how such little info could give you lead." She said with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't be too sure Korra." Tenzin spoke up, gaining the Avatar's attention. "Alex here is one of the best Detectives in Republic City. He is known for making the most of the smallest clues. On top of that, he's also known to be an Earthbending Prodigy." He explained, making Korra stare at the older Earthbender with wide eyes.

"Prodigy?" She asked in shock, making Alex laugh before he nodded.

"Yep. I've been training since I could walk.. Builds up a bit of skill." He chuckled. Her jaw hit the ground at this point. "Anyways…" He trailed off, swallowing the remainder of his tea. "I should get going." He said, standing up.

"No!" A small voice suddenly yelled before Alex got pounced on. He landed on the ground with a slight 'oof,' finding himself lying down on his back with Ikki sitting on his stomach. "You're not going anywhere! You promised to stay for dinner!" She pouted at him with a glare.

"I don't recall making any sort of-" Alex was cut off by Ikki snarling at him like a feral animal, her eyes glowing bright white and her teeth growing to be about 2 inches long. "Uh, I mean, yes! I'll stay!" He gulped. Ikki instantly went back to her cute little girl self.

"Yay!" She cheered, allowing him to sit up with her on his lap. "So, how many bad guys have you caught this week? Did you come here to arrest Korra? Do you think she's pretty? When are you going to become Police Chief?" She asked in rapid succession, making Alex sigh in exasperation.

"Seven. No. Yes. Don't know." He answered her in equally rapid succession. Korra's face dusted a slight pink at a particular answer, but she didn't say anything.

"Awesome!" Ikki cheered before getting off of him. "I'm gonna go tell Mom!" She squealed, zooming off on an Air Scooter. Alex sighed heavily in perfect unison with Tenzin as she sped away.

"Tenzin…"

"Hm?"

"Your daughter is adorable, but terrifying."

"I know." Again, they sighed in unison.

"What was that about?" Korra asked with a confused look.

"Alex has come over here many times, as you've probably gathered. My children are rather fond of him." Tenzin explained.

"To the point that they'll behave when I'm babysitting." Alex chuckled. Korra's jaw dropped at that. She has never seen the Airbender kids behaving before. Aside from Jinora of course. "Anyways, I should probably go before Ikki straps me to a tree." Alex said, standing up.

"No!" Tenzin yelled, a terrified look on his face. "Are you trying to get me killed by my own daughter?" He asked in terror, shivering slightly.

"Tenzin's right Dear." Pema said as she walked in, smiling happily. "Ikki will indeed be a force to be reckoned with if you leave now. Plus, it's always a joy to have you around." She said with a smile. Alex gulped. Pema's words and bright smile are not easy to say no to… Not to mention the fact that Ikki gets her terrifying nature from Pema, so… Yeah, not going there. The memories are too terrifying for our local Metalbender and Airbending Master.

"Alright then, I'll stay for dinner." He conceded, eliciting a relieved sigh from Tenzin. "Afterwards, I'll need to get back to my case." He continued.

"Of course." Pema smiled as she walked out with Ikki. "We'll be glad to have you." Alex chuckled inwardly. He had a feeling that Pema put Ikki up to this…

* * *

"So, Tenzin tells me you've mastered three of the four elements?" Alex asked Korra as they walked through the courtyard. They decided to try and get to know each other a bit more before dinner.

"Yeah. Water, Earth and Fire." The Avatar told him with a confident smile.

"And you've just started Airbending, right?" He asked. She nodded with a slight wince.

"Yes and no." She said honestly. "I've never been able to Airbend before. Not even so much as a single gust." She sighed in depression.

"Hey, don't feel bad." Alex told her with a cheery smile. "Every Avatar has one element that's difficult." He reminded her. "Have you ever heard of Avatar Jensu?" He asked. Korra shook her head. "She was an Airbender, and she had the biggest temper of any Avatar." Alex chuckled as he remembered some of the stories he'd read. "It took her six months to even _start_ mastering the basic push and pull of Waterbending, since she just couldn't be patient enough to lether body flow with the water.." He explained.

"Really?" Korra asked with wide eyes.

"Yep." Alex nodded. "So, this little block your going through is completely normal for any Avatar. You'll get it eventually." He assured her.

"Thanks." She smiled at him. "So, tell me about this whole 'Earthbending Prodigy' thing." She smirked at the apparent Prodigy competitively.

"Why, Miss Korra, is that a challenge I sense?" He asked, smirking back as they stopped in a small clearing in the island's forest.

"Maybe." She responded. Alex chuckled and looked right into her eyes. Those beautiful, blue eyes that seemed to be able to draw any man in.

"Alright then." He said simply. In an instant, he slammed his foot on the ground, sending a fissure towards her. Startled, Korra quickly jumped to the side to avoid falling down the pit that was created.

"Alright! Now we got a party!" She grinned wickedly, sending a flurry of fireballs at Alex. He brought up a stone wall to block the fireballs. After they dissipated, he collapsed the wall and shot his cable whip at her, just barely missing as she whipped it away with her own whip of water. "A Metalbender too huh? Should've guessed!" She threw a boulder at him. He just stood in place and punched it, shattering it into dust.

"That's not all I have!" He said with a wide grin, slamming his hands down on the ground. The area in front of him melted into lava, shocking Korra, but not enough to stop her from jumping to the side to avoid falling into said lava. "Take this!" He exclaimed, bending the lava toward her in the form of a stream. She yelped in shock and pulled water from a nearby pond, dousing the lava and shooting it to the side.

"Lavabending too?!" She asked incredulously. "I see why you're called a Prodigy!" She remarked, sending a jet of water at Alex. He brought some of lava in front of him up, blocking the water and making it turn to steam.

"You ain't seen nothing yet!" He exclaimed, still grinning, as he sent a jet of lava towards her. He moved differently though. Instead of the hard, stubborn stance of an Earthbender, he adopted the calm, gently flowing stance of a Waterbender, shocking the Avatar.

"You… You look like you're Waterbending!" Korra gasped loudly in shock before jumping out of the way of the lava jet.

"That's the idea." He told her, smirking as he brought another blob of lava up. He compressed it down a little, making it flat and spinning in the shape of a shuriken. "Try this!" He yelled and shot the shuriken towards her. Korra rolled to the side, evading the attack, grinning at Alex as she did so. However, when she saw him grinning too, her eyes widened. He pulled the shuriken back towards himself, with her in the path. The Avatar yelped as the spinning blob slammed into her back, knocking her down. Discarding the lava, Alex shot towards her and kneeled next to her, extending the blade in his gauntlet out and pushing it at her neck. "My win." He smirked at her. She looked up at him in awe of his skills as he retracted the blade with his Metalbending and held a hand out for her.

"That… that was amazing!" She gasped as she took his hand. "The way you moved! You were like a Waterbender with the lava!" She said with an excited grin. She'd never seen a bender bend with such charisma and strength like that.

"Well, lava is liquid rock after all." Alex pointed out, putting his hands in his coat's pockets.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Korra asked in awe and excitement.

"I was taught by a Waterbender to move like one and applied it to my Lavabending." He shrugged. "No big deal."

"No big deal?" She asked incredulously.

"I'm hardly the first Lavabender Korra." Alex chuckled. "It was a simple matter of drawing wisdom from the other nations." He explained. "By using Waterbending movements, I was able to bend the lava better than I would have if I used Earthbending stances." He continued. "Most Earthbenders believe that there's no other way to bend rock, but that's not completely true. The key to being a good bender, of any element, is versatility." He finished, crossing his arms with a resolute nod.

"So… do you know how I could be a better Airbender?" She asked hesitantly. Alex hummed in thought and pinched his chin.

"Well, you're unable to Airbend at the moment because it's most opposite to your personality." He reminded her. She nodded.

"Tenzin said so before."

"Well, your Airbending will come when it does, I can't help you get it before then." Korra deflated at the answer. "However, I can tell you why you did so terribly with those exercises earlier." She instantly perked up. "You don't know how to move like an Airbender, and that's not your fault. You need to learn how Airbenders move before doing any of their exercises." He explained.

"I don't completely follow…" She said, a small look of confusion on her face.

"Well, Tenzin isn't teaching you the fundamentals of Airbending motion. You've never had to use spiral movements like Jinora did, right?" He asked. She confirmed his assumption. "As such, you've never been taught said movement. That's why you got knocked around by the gates." He told her. Her eyes widened in realisation.

"I get it now!" She smiled brightly. Alex chuckled as they continued on their little walk around the island.

* * *

Well, dinner with the Airbender family and Korra was great for Alex. He'd never been much of a veggie guy, but there's just something about the way Pema cooks that's just fantastic. Plus, he got to know Korra a little better. Turns out, they both share a certain love for Pro-Bending. Tenzin scoffed at it and called it 'a mockery of a noble tradition,' but he's an old man. They always say new things are terrible. Anyways, after dinner, Alex headed out to to the dock to head home, and Korra decided she wanted to walk him there, for whatever reason.

"It was great hanging out with you today." She said as they walked, breaking the silence.

"Same here." He smiled at her. "You're a lot of fun to be around." He said. She smiled back with a minor blush.

"I'm still shocked with your bending. You're unlike any Earthbender I've ever seen." She complimented him.

"Thanks." He grinned. "You're not so bad yourself Avatar." They shared a chuckle.

"Seriously though, Metalbending, Earthbending, and Lavabending? How may Earthbenders can do all that?" She asked.

"Adding in the Sandbending, not many." He smirked proudly. He'd always taken pride in his Earthbending prowess, knowing that very few people could accomplish what he has.

"You're a Sandbender too?!" She asked with wide eyes. Alex laughed and nodded.

"Yeah." He grinned. "I like to consider myself a 'Pseudo-Avatar' if you will." Still, he used Metalbending more than anything else, so there is that.

"I don't know wether to be flattered or insulted." Korra deadpanned as they stopped at the docks.

"Both if you want." Alex smirked. Korra rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder playfully. "Anyways, thanks for your help earlier." He said, holding out his hand. "I'll try to get my Mom to lay off of you a little." He told her. She took his hand and shook it.

"That would be great." She sighed in exasperation before they both laughed.

With one last goodbye, Alex boarded the small boat that would take him across the water and leaned on the railing. He suddenly remembered something and facepalmed for not remembering sooner. He had two tickets to the Pro-bending match that his childhood friends were going to play in the next day, and he should have invited Korra to go along with him. He didn't have anyone else to go with, so why not her?

Then again, Tenzin is a strict man. Alex highly doubted that the Airbending Master would allow the Avatar to attend a 'mockery of Bending' match. Honestly, that guy is expecting too much from Korra too soon. He's not expecting her to bend quickly, not at all, but he does expect her to act like an Air Nomad, which she wasn't. Tenzin needed to realise that there was a difference between Air Nomads, and Airbenders.

* * *

"I'm home." Alex announced half-heartedly as he entered the house he and his mother shared. He was greeted to the sight of his Mom sitting on the couch with a cup of tea. She didn't even acknowledge him, just continued with the book she was reading. "Hello Dear, nice to see you." He murmured in an imitation of Lin's voice.

"Did you say something?" She asked, sending her son a sharp look.

"No, nothing at all Mother." he sighed, heading for the kitchen.

"Did you make any progress with the Triple Threat case?" She asked, acting like a Police Chief instead of a mother again.

"Yeah; got a lead on someone they harassed. Gonna question them tomorrow. Might get some info on the guy I'm after." Alex shrugged, heating up the kettle. He grabbed a cup from the cupboard and put a spoonful of this brown powder called coffee in it. It's a product that wasn't completely capitalised on until recently, though it has been around since the 100 year war. It is somewhat of an acquired taste, but he acquired it quite easily. Adding in the cream and sugar, it wasn't that hard.

"I sense something else about your day." Lin spoke up as Alex poured some hot water into his mug.

"I don't think you'll be interested." He shrugged, taking the cup. Her blunt look told him that she wanted him to tell her regardless of what he thought she'd think. With a sigh, he relented. "I got the intel from Avatar Korra." He said nonchalantly.

"What?!" Lin demanded.

"She ran into a few Triple Threat thugs when she got here. Nobody thought to report who or where they were harassing." He explained calmly. "She was the only one who had a plausible lead." He shrugged.

"Did you not think to ask me?" His mother hissed. Alex raised an eyebrow at her, sipping his coffee.

"Who were they harassing? What kind of shop?" He asked, almost daring her to answer. Lin gritted her teeth in frustration, making Alex smirk on the inside. Since the bad guys were caught and the 'vigilante' detained, no one thought to take that info down. Not even his Mom. "They were mugging Mr Chung who owns a phonograph shop." I answered for her, smirking.

The lecture that followed was not a pleasant one. Seriously, Alex knew his Mom wasn't exactly the Avatar's biggest fan, mainly due to what happened with Tenzin, but this was ridiculous. And what did Korra have to do with it anyway? Her problems were with Tenzin, not Korra. She didn't do anything wrong, and neither did Aang. So that begs the question, why is she taking her problems out on Korra? Anyways, as the lecture continued, Alex just tuned Lin's voice out, nodding and agreeing whenever he saw a pause. For a top notch cop, she sure is easy to fool in an interrogation. Well, for Alex at least.

"So, are we clear on everything?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes, Mother." He sighed, glad that she was finally done.

"Did you even hear a word I just said?!" She demanded.

"Of course." He replied nonchalantly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I wish to go to bed." He stood up, giving her a half-assed salute. "Goodnight Chief." He said, walking away.

"Are we having a problem Detective?" Lin asked dangerously. Alex could feel her glare boring a hole in the back of his head.

"No, Chief." He said in monotone, turning to face her.

"Then what is with your tone?" She asked, glaring sharply.3

"I'm just a little tired is all. Sparring with the Avatar, investigating the Triple Threats, and listening to your lecture can be really tiring." He stated bluntly. Lin opened her mouth to retort, but Alex wasn't finished. "Plus, I'm 19 years old, and a Detective. How I solve _my_ cases is not up to you." He continued in a firm tone. "If you want this case done your way, do it yourself. Otherwise, let me do my job my way." He finished. "Again, goodnight Chief." He said with a sarcastic salute.

"Ugh! I don't why I put up with you!" Lin yelled.

"Don't worry; you won't have to for much longer." Alex retorted, facing her once again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. "I just bought a condo not far from the Station. I'll be gone by the end of the week." He told her, slipping the key back into his pocket. With a sigh, he turned and continued on towards his room, leaving his mother with a shocked look on her face. _"I'm really getting sick of this shit."_ Alex thought sourly, slamming his bedroom door.

* * *

 **OK, before anyone says anything about the little exchange between Alex and Lin, keep in mind that their relationship is very strained. Lin was never cut out to be a Mom, we all know this. As such, any interaction between Alex and Lin would end up like this more often than not.**

 **Before anyone asks, NO. Tenzin is NOT Alex's father. I might make a big reveal about who his father is some time, or I might not reveal it altogether. I don't know.**


	3. Pro-Bending Match

"Haru Garnik, Lee Sheyna, you are under arrest for drug dealing, extortion, and various other crimes against the people of Republic City." Alex said with a glare as he shot his Metalbending cables towards the two benders, pulling them to the ground as they tried to run away from the phonograph shop they were extorting… again. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney. If you do not have one, one will be provided." Alex continued as he cuffed them and handed them over to two officers.

"Good job Detective." One of them saluted him.

"Thank you Officer. Continue." He saluted back. With a nod, the Officers led the two convicts into a police car before driving off towards the station.

"Thank you for your help Detective." The owner of the shop that was being harassed said as he came up to Alex.

"No problem Mr Chung." He smiled at the old man. "Just doing my job." With that, he walked away, with a wave, over to his motorcycle. "You've been given official Police Protection, so if those guys ever bother you again, just call and they'll be taken away." He told the shop owner, who nodded with a grateful bow.

"How can I ever repay you?" He asked.

"Nothing of the sort is needed." Alex smiled at him. "I'm just doing my job." He said as he mounted his motorcycle, driving off. It was already 2pm, and the Pro-bending match wouldn't start until six… He had some time to kill, four hours to be exact. Maybe he can use this time to catch up with a few friends…

* * *

Having arrived at the Pro-Bending arena, Alex parked his motorcycle in the designated parking area and strolled over into the building. It was quite easy getting in. All he had to do was wave his badge at Toza, the man in charge of the gym and all that jazz, and he instantly got a Visitor's Badge. Now, it wasn't exactly moral for Alex to abuse his power as a Detective like that, but it's far from illegal. Plus, this was the first time he ever did that for personal gain since he became a Detective. As such, it's not unreasonable to think that he has at least a little change in his pocket.

" _Now, where are they?"_ He mentally asked himself as he strolled through the halls of the building. It took him about half an hour to find the gym where his friends would be practising. Knowing them, they'd probably practice from dawn till dusk on the day of a match. Digression aside, inside the aforementioned gym, he found who he was looking for; a short, bulky guy, about 16 years old, with black hair and green eyes, and a taller, slimmer, yet still muscular guy with the same black hair, but amber eyes. These two people were Mako and Bolin, brothers of the Fire Ferrets.

Mako was leaning against a wall, watching his younger brother spar with another guy in the same Pro-bending uniform as them. Bolin shot a pair of disks at his sparring partner, who sidestepped to avoid them and shot a stream of water at him, confirming Alex's theory that this third guy was the Waterbender for the Fire Ferrets. Now, as an Earthbending Prodigy, Alex could see that Bolin was doing very well with his own bending. However, he was still far from becoming a Master.

"Still fight like an old lady." Alex deadpanned with an amused smile as he watched Bolin fight. Both of the brothers' eyes widened in shock when they heard the familiar voice.

"Alex?" Bolin asked in a gasp as he turned to face the young Detective… Only to get blasted in the face by a jet of water.

"Ooo!" Alex cringed with a smirk as Bolin got knocked to the ground. "That had to hurt." He chuckled as Mako approached.

"Alex…" He said with a wide smile. "What are you doing here?" he asked, grinning as the pair bro-shaked. "It's been years!" Alex noticed how Mako had grown. They now at the same height, whereas in the past, he was taller than Mako.

"I know. Sorry I didn't come by sooner." Alex chuckled sheepishly. "I have been keeping up on the radio though." he added.

"Doesn't matter. You're here now." Mako said as they shared a bro-hug. As they separated, Alex suddenly found himself being suffocated by an unknown force. Unknown force being an ecstatic Bolin.

"I missed you so much Alex!" Bolin cried as he hugged his old friend tightly.

"Bolin! Air!" Alex croaked. The younger earthbender yelped and let go of him.

"Sorry!" he squeaked.

"You… bent my armour." Alex gasped, feeling the dents in armour pressing into his chest.

"Sorry!" Bolin squeaked again. Alex held up one hand to tell them to hold for a moment. He closed his eyes, focussing on his armour. He took a deep breath, and clenched both his fists and and his eyes, Metalbending the amour back into shape. "Wow…" Bolin murmured dreamily. He'd always loved Metalbending.

"Now that that's out of the way." Mako coughed into his fist. "Good to see ya bro." he grinned at Alex, who returned the grin.

"Same here. Bone-crushing platypus-bear-hugs aside." he sent a deadpanned glance towards Bolin, who laughed sheepishly.

"What can I say? I'm happy to see my old friend!" he said cheerfully. Mako and Alex rolled their eyes at the Earthbender's childishness.

"Anyways, introductions." Mako spoke up as the Waterbender from earlier approached. "Alex, this is Hasook, the Fire Ferrets Waterbender. Hasook, this is Alex." He introduced them.

"A pleasure." Alex shook the Waterbender's hand as he offered it.

"Same." Hasook replied, taking his helmet off and wiping some sweat away. "I'm gonna go take care of some stuff before the match." He said to his teammates, who nodded as he left. Alex noticed that the Waterbender didn't seem very interested in the game.

"That guy is not helping you win this tournament." He deadpanned to the two brothers. "He's not into it." he warned them. They both sighed in agreement.

"We know." Mako pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're doing everything we can to find a better replacement, but he'll have to do for now." he let out a light groan as he finished.

"Anyways, you should see our apartment!" Bolin said to his old friend, yanking him by the arm. "It's nothing special, but the view is awesome!" He said excitedly, pulling Alex with him. Mako chuckled and followed his brother and old friend.

Having gotten free from Bolin's grasp, Alex followed the two brothers up to the attic of the building. Mako explained how they'd been skeptical at first, but when they saw the view, they'd been sold on the spot. Alex had to agree with their choice. When he saw the view, he was awestruck. It wasn't even nighttime, but the city was still a breathtaking view. He could only imagine what it would look like under the stars.

"Nice." He said with an impressed whistle, admiring the view.

"So, what's with the armour?" Mako asked as the three of them got settled on the couch. Bolin was right when he said the apartment was nothing special, but it was warm and cozy enough.

"You have to ask?" Alex chuckled as he pulled his coat the side, showing the gold badge.

"No. Freaking. Way!" Bolin exclaimed with a wide grin. "You're a Detective?!" He asked loudly.

"Damn straight." Said Detective confirmed with a grin.

"Well, how could we expect anything else?" Mako chuckled, shaking his head.

"I still have trouble believing you're the grandson of my hero." Bolin laughed. The other two joined in the laugh. Alex remembered how when they were younger Bolin would beg to meet his grandmother, Toph. Sadly, Alex hadn't seen her since he was three, and had no idea where she was.

"Well, believe it brother." He grinned. They all laughed one more time before calming down. "I've missed you guys." He said with a small smile to the two brothers.

"So have we." Mako smiled. "So, what brings you here?" He asked. Alex shrugged.

"I've been listening to you guys play on the radio since forever. I thought I might try seeing it live and in person." He grinned. "Bought two tickets, but sadly that second one will go to waste." He sighed.

"What? Mr Lady's Man doesn't have a date?" Mako teased, making Bolin laugh and Alex deadpan at him. Alex had always been popular with the girls back in school, but he rejected every offer since he had no interest in a relationship at the time, or now for that matter.

"Haha." He laughed sarcastically. "There were two tickets left, and I found myself buying them both. I don't know why." He shrugged. **(A/N: Plot convenience maybe? :P)**

"Well, enough about that." Bolin piped up, pulling out a Pai Sho board. "How about a game? Like old times." he grinned at Alex, who returned the grin.

"You're on."

* * *

"Oh come on!" Bolin wailed as Alex got him stuck in a perfect Harmony… for the seventh time in a row. "You can't be that good! You're cheating!" He accused, pointing a finger at Alex, who just grinned like an idiot.

The two of them had always played Pai Sho when they were younger, and it was never as one sided as this. Bolin won some, Alex won some, and Mako won some. Now, however, Alex was a professional Detective. It was his job to notice things other people would not. It was a simple case of using those detection skills in the game. That, coupled with Bolin's rustiness and idiocy, bless the boy, meant that the game was no-brainer.

"I've just gotten better Bo." Alex shrugged. "Not my fault your skills have turned to shit while mine have only sharpened." He grinned, making Bolin cry out loud. Mako and Alex deadpanned at the sight. "Is he like this when you lose a match?" The detective asked the Firebender, who sighed in exasperation.

"You don't know the half of it." Mako rubbed his temples.

"Well, excuse me for not enjoying loss!" Bolin retorted with a glare.

"Nobody enjoys loss Bo." Mako deadpanned. "Most people just don't react like you." Bolin huffed with a childish pout, looking away with crossed arms as he slumped back into the couch.

"Nice to see some things never change." Alex chuckled, earning a glare from Bolin and a laugh from Mako.

"So how's your new job going?" Mako asked as the two of them joined Bolin back on the couch.

"Eh, can't complain." Alex shrugged. "Kicking ass, taking names, and slamming cells. They pay isn't amazing, but it's enough." He explained. "I just recently bought a condo not too far from here." he remembered.

"Finally got sick of the old lady huh?" Bolin grinned.

"You have no idea" Alex rubbed hi temples in exasperation. "Yesterday she gave me a lecture because I consulted the Avatar for info on a case. It was like I was seven year old who got caught with hand in the cookie jar!" He threw his hands up in frustration.

"There's a cookie jar?" Bolin asked eagerly, making the older Earthbender facepalm.

"That's what you got from that sentence?" He asked incredulously.

"I'm more focussed on the fact that you met the fucking _Avatar_!" Mako said with wide eyes. Alex shrugged.

"She had info on a case that I was working. Managed to put away two Triple Threats because of her." Alex did not miss the subtle wince on Bolin and Mako's part, and he knew why; they used to work for the Triple Threat Triad. It was the main reason he'd distanced himself from them two years previous; when he found out. Maybe that's why he's trying to reconnect now? Who knows?

"Yeah, about that…" Mako trailed off.

"Don't." Alex shook his head. "You guys needed to do what was necessary to survive. I let my personal morals get in the way of what my friends needed from me." he said, looking at the brothers sincerely. "If anyone should apologise, it's me." He said, bowing his head in shame.

"No no no!" Bolin said loudly. "We knew there were better ways, but we went with the easiest. We should be apologising!" He insisted.

"Even if that were the case, I cut you guys off, and you didn't deserve that." The young Metalbender hung his head in shame. "For that, I am sorry." He apologised. Mako smiled at his oldest friend and placed a hand on his shoulder, gaining the Detective's attention.

"Look, let's just agree that all three of us screwed up and leave it at that hm?" The Firebender suggested with a smile. Bolin smiled in agreement.

"Yeah! Let's just forgive each other and move on!" He said cheerfully.

"Really?" Alex asked, his eyes wide in surprise. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." Bolin confirmed with a grin.

"It's what friends do." Mako grinned too. With a grin matching theirs, the Metalbender in the group pulled the two brothers into a three-way bro-hug.

"You guys are the best!" They all laughed out loud, ecstatic to be friends again.

The next few hours were spent catching up on the events that they had missed out in the past couple years. Bolin and Mako told Alex about all of their best, worst, and weirdest matches, and Alex told them about the weirdest cases he'd worked on. For example, there was the match where Bolin ate too much just before, and threw up on his opponent by accident. Since it was never specified that throwing up on an opponent was illegal, the victim of said spit up jumping off of the ring in disgust to clean up was just what the Fire Ferrets needed to score a victory.

For Alex, there was the case of the Foot Fetish Murderer. This guy was so fucked in the head with his fetish for feet, that he killed four women and severed their feet, taking them home and leaving the bodies in the river. He'd then get himself off while looking at the feet in different pairs of women's shoes. When Alex had solved the case, he'd taken a small squad of Metalbenders to detain the sick man, only to find him dead on the ground with two high heels jammed into his eyes. Needless to say Mako and Bolin would be sleeping with both eyes open after that story. No one ever found the second killer.

"Anyway…" Alex stood up with a grin, seeing the brothers' terrified faces. "I'm gonna head out. I want to change out of my armour before the game." He said as he made his way to the ladder for descension. "See you at the game." he bade them farewell.

"Y-yeah! B-b-bye!" Bolin squeaked.

"S-see ya." Mako murmured. With an evil cackle, Alex descended down the ladder, very pleased with himself.

* * *

Having made a quick stop at home to change out of his armour, Alex walked through the Probending arena towards the Fire Ferret's waiting station. He now wore a simple pair of black cargo pants, some leather boots, a plain green shirt, not unlike Mako's, and his trench coat. Winter hadn't settled in yet, but it was getting a little nippy, so he thought it'd be best to keep the coat.

As he was walking past the gym, he caught sight of something he didn't expect; Korra, in the gym, getting scolded by Toza, the owner of the gym.

"What are you doing here?" Said gym owner demanded.

"I, uh… was looking for the bathroom!" The young Metalbender's hand found his forehead at the Avatar's pathetic excuse. Seriously, the _Avatar_ couldn't come up with something better? That's just sad.

"Oh, the old 'I had to pee' excuse." Toza scoffed. Ok, time to intervene.

"For the love of the Spirits, what are you doing?" Alex demanded from Korra as he approached them. She looked at him with a shocked gaze while Toza glared at him. "I've told you a hundred times, stay by my side!" He said in false exasperation.

"You know her?" Toza asked with a suspicious glare.

"Yeah, my step sister." The Detective sighed. "I got our tickets right here." he said, pulling out both of the tickets he had. The gym owner glare at Alex, knowing something was up, but he couldn't refute the fact that he _did_ have two tickets on him. Plus, there was no evidence of deceit.

"Fine." he growled, turning away. "Just get out of my gym!" He hissed, going over to the barbels. Korra and Alex quickly scurried out of the gym.

"Thanks." Korra whispered as they exited the gym.

"No problem." Alex whispered back with a grin. "You snuck out of the Temple?" He asked in amusement.

"Well, Tenzin says Air is the element of freedom." She defended innocently. "If that's the case, there should be no problem." She continued, smirking mischievously. Alex returned the smirk as he led her towards the Waiting Station.

"Where are we going?" Korra asked as they walked through the halls.

"To the best seats in the house." Alex smirked.

"What? VIP?" korra asked eagerly. Alex grinned widely.

"Close." He told her, earning a raised eyebrow from the Avatar. "You'll see." he said before she could ask. With a shrug, Korra followed the Detective. It wasn't long before he stopped her at a door. "Here we are." he said with a bow, opening the door. With a roll of her eyes, Korra walked through the door, only to gasp at what she saw.

"Whoa!" She gasped as she ran over to the railing at the edge of the room, staring at the arena as the crowd cheered. "How on Earth did you manage this?!" She exclaimed to Alex, who grinned at her.

"Two of the team members are childhood friends." He smiled as he walked over to her, leaning over the railing next to her. "Came here to catch up earlier, and they gave me clearance me to come here." He explained.

"You were right about the best seats in the house, that's for sure." korra chuckled as she turned and faced the arena again. "Who's waiting room is this?" She asked curiously. She was internally hoping for her favourite team, the Fi-

"Really Alex?" A voice deadpanned behind them, snapping Korra from her thoughts. She and Alex turned and found Mako, Bolin, and Hasook. "We give you clearance to watch the game here, and you bring a lady friend?" MAko asked in exasperation.

"For your information, Mako, she's just a friend I made a few days ago. We happen to share a certain love of Pro-bending, and I thought she would enjoy accompanying me." Alex huffed. That last part wasn't completely true, he didn't want to explain to Mako why he brought someone who snuck into the arena with him.

"Fine." Mako sighed, going over to his locker to get his helmet.

"Whoa, Mako?" Korra asked with wide eyes and a smile. "I heard you playing on the radio!" She said excitedly.

"Come on Bolin, we're up." Mako said to his little brother, ignoring Korra, who frowned as he went over

"Sorry about that." Bolin sighed as he approached Korra and Alex. "My brother just gets really focussed before a match." He explained apologetically. "Name's Bolin." He introduced himself.

"Korra." The Avatar introduced herself back.

"We can talk more later. Got a match now. Wish me luck." Bolin said as he put his helmet on. "Not that I'll need it." He winked at Korra, who chuckled in amusement.

"Good luck." She said with a smile as the team stepped onto the platform that would move them over to the arena. When they were far enough, Korra immediately got into Alex's face. "HOW do you know the Fire Ferrets!?" She demanded excitedly.

"Korra, personal space." He deadpanned. Stepping back, Korra stepped back and looked at him expectantly. "Mako, Bolin, and I are childhood friends. We hung out everyday during and after school until a few years ago when a few unpleasant events took place that I don't feel like going into right now." He explained, turning to face the match. "I decided I wanted to reconcile with them just a few days ago. I came here earlier this afternoon, and the rest is history." He finished, smirking as Bolin landed a hit on the enemy Firebender. It didn't do much good though.

"Wow…" Korra mumbled as Alex finished the story. He didn't realise it, but the Avatar actually had detected the hint of pain in his voice when he mentioned the 'unpleasant events' as Alex had put it. Judging by the fact that reconciliation was necessary, Korra figured it must have been some kind of fall out between the three.

* * *

[One Hour Later]

"Well, that wasn't bad." Alex observed as the match ended. "Could've gone better though." He noted, getting a nod of agreement from Korra.

The match had started out ok, with neither team really doing much better or worse than the other, but after the opponents managed to advance into Ferret territory, Hasook took an earth disk to the stomach, falling into the water below the arena. Thankfully, the Fire Ferrets managed to last until the timer went off, giving them a chance to jump back up again. Come the second round, the Fire ferrets managed to push the Tiger-dillos back far enough to advance into their territory, allowing them to gain a point when the timer went off.

The third round was when things got tense. At the very beginning of the round, Hasook dodged a blow, only to stumble and tumble into Bolin, knocking them both to the ground. Before they could get up, they were thrown out of the arena by the Tiger-dillo's Earthbender, leaving Mako alone in Zone 3 of the Fire Ferrets territory. He was clever here. He evaded all of the attacks until the Water and Earthbender had no more ammunition left, and then struck, knocking all three of the enemy team members out, and securing the match for his team.

" _Hasook is definitely the weak link though."_ Alex thought to himself as the Fire Ferrets approached on the platform, eying the Waterbender.

"Woo Hoo, yes!" Bolin cheered as the entered the waiting room. "One more win and we are in the championship tournament!" He said excitedly. "So, what ya' think Korra? Bolin's got some moves huh?" He asked the Avatar with a smirk.

"What did I think!? What did I think!?" Korra asked the Earthbender with wide eyes. "That was awesome!" She exclaimed, pushing him in excitement.

Alex could understand why she was so pumped. She'd been confined in the White Lotus Compound for who knows how long, and now she'd been able to watch a Pro-Bending match like she's dreamed since she was a child. It was quite easy to see that she was very happy with the way tonight had turned out. Mako, however, was not.

"You did more harm than good out there. You almost cost us the match," He growled at Hasook as they walked into the waiting room.

"We won, didn't we?" Hasook shot back.

"Barely." Mako hissed.

"Get off my case." Hasook growled at him before he threw his helmet to the side in frustration and stormed out of the room.

"Useless," Mako muttered, glaring at the door after Hasook left.

"You guys were incredible out there!" Korra spoke up, complimenting them in an attempt to make things a little less tense." Especially you Mr. Hat-trick," she said, pointing at Mako.

"Oh, you're still here?" The Firebender asked in a bored tone.

"Oh, you're still a jerk?" Korra retorted.

"Damn, gonna need some ice for that burn." Alex laughed, earning a glare from Mako. "And how ironic is it that the _Firebender_ get burnt by the _Waterbender?"_ Bolin joined in on the laughter, making Mako's glare harden.

"Anyway, I've been immersed in bending my entire life but I've never learned how to move like that. It's like there's a whole new style here. Think you can show me a few tricks?" Korra asked Bolin,

"Absolutely!" Bolin answered cheerfully, eager to spend more time with the beautiful girl.

"Right now? Come on Bolin." Mako groaned.

"Just ignore him." Bolin waved the Firebender off. Korra had no problem there. "Yeah, I can show you the basics. I'm just not sure how my Earthbending will translate to your waterbending, but we will figure it out." He continued, shrugging. At this point, Alex and Korra looked at each other with mischievous grins.

"Won't be a problem. I'm actually an earthbender." Korra said, smirking at Bolin.

"Didn't Alex just say you were a Waterbender?" Bolin asked, a little confused.

"Yeah, he's right. I'm a waterbender... And a firebender."

"Hmmmmmm, I'm very confused right now." Bolin admitted. Ale laughed and turned to Mako. If Bolin can't figure it out, maybe Mako can.

"You're the Avatar... and I'm an idiot." The Firebender sighed as he realised the truth, dropping his head in exasperation.

"Both are correct." Korra confirmed with a grin.

"No… Way!" Bolin exclaimed, turning to Mako. "The Avatar!" he whispered loudly behind his hand, pointing at Korra, who giggled at his reaction. Alex too couldn't help but find this hilarious.

* * *

"So, how did you become friends with the _Avatar?"_ Mako asked Alex as they watched Bolin teach Korra some Pro-Bending moves.

"Remember how I said I consulted her for a case?" Mako nodded at Alex's question. "Well, Tenzin's daughter convinced me to stay for dinner then and we hit it off." The Detective shrugged. "Turns out, we have a lot in common. A certain love for Pro-Bending included." He explained with a smile directed towards Korra.

"Oh?" Mako smirked, seeing the look on his friend's face. "Am I detecting a crush?" He asked teasingly, earning a blank look from Alex.

"No." The Metalbender said flatly. "A lot has changed since we last met Mako, but one thing that hasn't is my love life. I still have no interest in a relationship." He deadpanned. _"Although, dating Korra wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."_ The young Detective admitted to himself. He may not be looking for a relationship at the moment, but he does have a type. One that Korra falls under quite easily.

"Whatever you say Alex." Mako shook his head with smirk as Korra managed to perform the trick Bolin was showing her. "Not bad." He said honestly.

"What does it take to impress this guy?" Korra asked Bolin with an exasperated sigh.

"What? I said not bad!" Mako defended, making Alex chuckle at his old friend.

"Don't mind him Korra." He told the young Avatar. "Mako's just a man of few words." Said Firebender smirked at the Detective's words.

"Still as sharp as ever alex." He and the Metalbender shared a grin. "Now, it's getting late, and I'm gonna turn in. You kids have fun." He said, walking away. "Nice meeting you, Avatar Korra."

"Yeah, been a real pleasure." Korra deadpanned.

"See you upstairs bro," Mako said as he left.

"Upstairs? You guys live here?" Korra asked.

"Yup, in the attic. It's nothing fancy, but we have some great views." Bolin explained.

"They do." Alex nodded in agreement.

"So back to bending, why don't you throw that combo one more time?" Bolin grinned at Korra, who returned it.

* * *

"So, you enjoy yourself?" Alex asked as he and Korra walked along the harbor of Republic City, just a few leagues away from Air Temple Island.

"Well, I got to watch my first Pro-Bending match, met my favourite team, and learnt some new moves." Korra listed the events of the night with a wide grin. "What do you think?" She asked in friendly sarcasm, to which Alex laughed.

"I think you had a great time. Tell me I'm close." He grinned, making Korra laugh.

"Speaking of new moves…" Korra trailed off. "I was wondering if you could show me some tricks too?" She asked, her voice hopeful.

"Sure." Alex smiled warmly. "Just know, my lessons aren't as gentle as Bolin's." he warned in a mix of playfulness and seriousness, a grin plastered on his face.

"Easy is overrated." Korra returned the grin. "I can take anything you throw at me." She said confidently.

"We'll see about that." Alex chuckled. "But, in exchange for my training, you have to do something for me." He said mysteriously.

"Name it." Korra crossed her arms with a confident look.

"Smile a little more." Alex said simply. There was a slight pause.

"What?" Korra asked in confusion after a few moments.

"I've noticed you don't smile as often as a girl your age should." Alex pointed out. "The only times I've seen you smile was when we sparred on Air Temple Island, and at the arena." He explained. "And I happen to think it suits you. You're very pretty. So do it more often will you?" Despite her immense confusion, Korra couldn't help but giggle with a faint blush.

"You mean that?" She asked, looking at her feet.

"I do indeed." Alex confirmed, placing his hands in his pockets.

Korra started to feel funny. It was like there were Sooty Copper Fritillaries flying around in her stomach. For her, it was a foreign feeling, having some compliment her looks. She's never been the type of girl who cares much for what she looks like. In fact, she'd never had someone to compare herself to, so there was never any need. She knew what many men liked in a woman, body-wise that is; slim figure, large breasts, and a shapely rear. She had a muscular, yet thin, figure, neither her breasts nor rear were anything brag about, and she didn't really think she was that much of a looker. However, Alex had just called her pretty. She wasn't going to deny that it was really great feeling having a guy close to her age compliment her looks.

"Alright… I'll try…" She murmured with a red face.

"Excellent. Goodnight Korra." Alex bade her farewell, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

"Goodnight Alex." She muttered, hoping he could hear her. "Why is my heart beating so fast?" She asked herself, placing her hand on her chest as she watched Alex walked away.

* * *

 **So, what do you guys think? Was the fluff a little too soon? I mean, I know Korra's reaction might be a bit much, but given that she's been in isolation since she was a kid, it's not really inaccurate is it? She spent her whole life training to be the Avatar, and there weren't any men her age around at the time. Suddenly, one of the friends she made in Republic City calls her pretty? I think her reaction is well suited to the situation.**


	4. Competing in the Game

"Hey Korra!" Alex called out as he saw the Avatar walking into the Arena building. Korra heard him calling for her and turned her attention to him, seeing him walk up to her.

"Hey Alex." She greeted back with a sigh, making Alex raise an eyebrow. Something was definitely up with her.

"You OK?" He asked, opening the door for her. Smiling faintly at the gentlemanly act, Korra walked inside, followed by Alex. They weren't bothered by any of the staff for walking in like that because they have VIP Visitor passes, compliments of the Fire Ferrets.

"I'm fine." Korra sighed. "Just frustrated with the Airbending training." She wasn't sure why, but Korra found Alex surprisingly easy to confide in. "Not even so much as a single puff." She sighed again. "And I can't even get through the spinning gates…"

"Well, it has only been two weeks since you started." The Metalbender reminded her.

"I know, but I can't help being angry, alright!" Korra snapped as she stopped in her tracks. Alex quickly put both hands up in surrender.

"Alright! Alright! I'm sorry!" He said quickly. Geez, who knew girls could be so terrifying? Wait… He did. After all, he lived with Lin fucking Beinfong for 19 years!

"No, no…" Korra shook her head, realising her mistake. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "I shouldn't take it out on you." She said sincerely. Alex shook his head.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled softly at her. "Believe me, I've had my moments too." He told her. "You should have seen me when I was learning Lavabending." He chuckled at a few memories as they continued walking. "I got so frustrated when I failed the Waterbending motions, I actually tossed a blob of lava at a tree. Knocked the thing over and destroyed my Mom's car." He reminisced.

"Are you serious!?" Korra laughed loudly. Alex joined in on the laughter and nodded.

"Yeah. Mom got so mad she locked me in a platinum cell for three weeks." He laughed.

"Isn't that child abuse?" Korra asked, still struggling to talk through her giggling.

"It's her version of 'grounding' me." Alex chuckled. He was glad to see Korra smiling again. "It wasn't that bad. Got me out of my chores and I had a radio." Korra giggled harder as Alex kept speaking.

"Thanks Alex. This has helped." She smiled at the young Metalbender, who returned the smile.

"Anytime Korra." Alex told the young Avatar. "If you ever need to talk, just come to me. I'm all ears whenever you need me." He said with a smile. Korra returned the smile gratefully as they continued on their way to the Fire Ferrets' locker room.

* * *

"Hey. What's going on?" Ale asked as he and Korra entered the room, finding Mako and Bolin sitting on the benches, their heads hanging, looking like children who were grounded with their hands just short of the cookie jar.

"Hasook's a no good no-show." Mako grumbled bitterly as an administrator entered.

"You got two minutes to come out ready to play or you're disqualified." He said, leaving before he could get a reply.

"Well, there goes our shot at the tournament and the winnings." Bolin sighed in depression.

"Can't you ask one of those guys to take Hasook's place?" Korra asked, pointing to another team that had returned from the previous game.

"Nah, the rules say you can only compete in one team." Was Bolin's reply, sighing yet again.

Alex couldn't help but give his old friends a sympathetic look. He knew how much they loved their job, and how hard they worked to get where they are. Now, it was all thrown down the drain because of a Waterbending jack-ass with no skill in the sport. The young Metalbender would have gladly filled in, if it was the Earthbender that was missing. Sadly, he was no Waterbender. Korra would fare much better than he would. Wait...

"How about Korra?" Alex suggested out of the blue.

"What?" Mako asked with an 'are you serious' look.

"Hey! I'm a top-notch waterbender if I do say so myself." Korra crossed her arms, offended by the Firebender's implications. Sure, she's never played Pro-Bending before, but aside from a few notable exceptions, Airbending among them, she was a very fast learner. Not to mention, she's the fucking Avatar! A Waterbending Master!

"But, you're the Avatar... Isn't that cheating?" Bolin asked unsurely.

"Not if I only use Waterbending." Korra reasoned with a grin. Alex nodded in agreement. The rulebooks have never said that the Avatar cannot compete. Still, it seems kinda implied that if she does, she can only use one element.

"No way. I'd rather forfeit than look like a fool out there." Mako spoke up, rejecting the idea in an instant. That earned him a glare from the young Avatar.

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence." She said sarcastically. Seriously, what is up with this guy? Why did he have such a problem with Korra.

"You'll look like a bigger fool by forfeiting." Alex crossed his arms, giving his old friend a light glare. "The crowd is going to think you very unprepared if they find out you didn't have a sub ready. At least with Korra on your team you still have a chance." Before Mako could give any kind of argument, which was unlikely as he and Bolin never won arguments against Alex in their childhood, the administrator from earlier waltzed in.

"Time's up. You're in or out?"

"We're/ They're in." Korra and Alex said in unison.

"We are?" Mako asked in momentary confusion.

"Yes!" Bolin exclaimed, punching the air.

"Hey, I didn't agreed to this!" Mako shouted, trying to undo the likely disaster that would unfold.

"You can thank me later." Korra said to him with a smirk, grabbing a uniform to change into.

"This girl, is crazy." Mako deadpanned, making Alex laugh.

"That is correct." He chuckled, an eager grin on his face. He was looking forward to what Korra could do on the Pro-Bending Arena.

* * *

 _"Okay, in retrospect, I should have seen this coming."_ Alex mentally sighed as he saw Korra butchering the game. Mako may have been on to something when he said it would be better to forfeit.

Korra had made her first mistake literally the second the whistle was blown, by Waterbending one of the opponents off of the arena over the side, which was prohibited and earned her a penalty, moving back one zone. It was downhill from there. As the round continued, Korra accidentally stepped over the line to Zone 1, so she was pushed back to Zone 3. Ultimately, the Platypus-Bears took Round 1.

Round 2 was where it got complicated. Knowing a green player when they see one, the Platypus-Bears all ganged up on Korra, completely ignoring Mako and Bolin. It got so bad that Korra instinctively brought some of the earth disks up to protect herself. Thankfully, she was allowed to continue so long as she sole bent Water, much to the opponents disappointment. They'd hoped to get an easy win by the Fire Ferrets disqualification.

"Oooh, that is not good." Alex cringed. The fact that the Avatar was playing was just broadcast to all the radios in Republic City, some of which belonged to the guards on Air temple Island. "Whelp, we're boned." The Metalbender sighed. He had little to no doubt Tenzin would have heard about this by now. News travels fast by radio. Heh, the thought of Tenzin's face going red with anger as his eye twitched was actually quite amusing to Alex.

Anyway, Korra's lack of experience in Pro-Bending was her undoing. She may be the Avatar, but she's no Pro-Bender, and the Platypus-Bears were intent on exploiting that weakness. It wasn't long before she was thrown of the arena into the water. When she came up, she was greeted to the sight of… Tenzin… Fuck.

* * *

Alex had made it to the platform where Korra rose just in time to find Tenzin and Korra in the beginnings of an argument. He really need to put a stop to this before either one said something they'd regret.

"Why are you here Tenzin? I thought you hated Pro-Bending." He spoke up, gaining their attention.

"Alexander?" Tenzin raised an eyebrow at the young Detective's voice. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"I asked you first." Alex deadpanned, Tenzin's eye twitching as a result. "But, to answer your question, I'm here to support the Fire Ferrets. Mako and Bolin are my childhood friends." He explained.

"And why did you not notify me when you saw Korra here?" Tenzin demanded through gritted teeth.

"Because there's nothing wrong with her being here." Alex crossed his arms. "She is 17 years old, and not a child. She is entitled to spend her time how she wishes."

"She is also the Avatar!" Tenzin hissed loudly, making Alex shake his head.

"True, but she is a teenage girl before the Avatar." he said plainly. "As an Airbending Master, surely you understand that a teen needs some freedom, wouldn't you agree?" He asked with a sly grin. Tenzin was mere seconds away from blowing his top. Korra, on the other hand, was both surprised and grateful to Alex for him defending her.

"Alex is right Tenzin." She spoke up. "You can't keep me locked away on Air Temple Island. I've had enough confinement to last a lifetime." She said to the Airbender with a faint glare. Tenzin sighed in heavy exasperation and frustration.

"I tried to be gentle and supportive, but you clearly respond to force better." He glared at the Avatar. "You are coming with me, back to the Air Temple." he ordered her.

"Why? So I can meditate on how bad I am at Airbending?" Korra asked sarcastically. "You know, maybe I haven't managed to Airbend yet because I don't need it!" She all but screeched at Tenzin.

"Uh, Korra? I know you're mad and all, but I don't think-"

"What! That is a ludicrous suggestion!" Tenzin practically roared at Korra, cutting Alex off. "The Avatar needs to learn Airbending! It's not optional!"

"OK, can we all please calm down and talk like adults?" Alex tried to ease the tension. If things got too out of hand, he might have to go all Detective on these two…

"Butt out Alex!" Korra and Tenzin snarled in unison. Despite the situation, Alex found himself sweatdropping. How is it that Korra is unable to learn from Tenzin again?

"This is what I need to learn! Modern styles of fighting!" Korra yelled, pointing at the Pro-bending arena.

"Being the Avatar isn't all about fight Korra!" Tenzin retorted. "When will you learn that?!"

"I have a match to finish." Korra huffed, turning her back on the Airbending Master and heading over to the platform to rejoin the Fire Ferrets. Tenzin sighed frustration and turned to leave himself, only to be reminded that Alex was still there, seeing him leaning on the corridor wall.

"You know…" the Detective spoke up. "Korra's been trapped in the White Lotus Complex ever since she was a child." he reminded the Airbender. "And now she finally gets a chance to leave the South pole, only to be thrown into another prison in the for of Air Temple Island? Her behaviour is understandable." He sighed. Tenzin didn't say a word. "Air is the Element of Freedom, and you refuse to give her any. If you continue on this path with her, she'll never become a fully realised Avatar." Tenzin's eyes widened at Alex's implications. "You need to realise Tenzin, Korra is not an Air Nomad, and you can't train her like one. She's also not one of your children; she wasn't born with Airbending like the kids." Alex stopped leaning on the wall and turned to walk off. "You need to rethink the way you train korra. Otherwise, she'll never learn from you." Sticking his hands in his pockets, the young Metalbender left the Airbending Master to his thoughts.

As Tenzin walked towards the exit of the arena, he couldn't help thinking about what Alex had said to him. True, Korra had been kept in isolation up until recently, but that was for her own good. After all, that's what Avatar Aang wanted… right? However, now that he thinks about it, Alex does make a valid point. Korra never had the opportunity to actually be a child in her childhood… Ever since she was discovered by the White Lotus, her whole life has been Avatar training. She really doesn't know what freedom is, does she?

And the Airbending… How could Tenzin not have seen it before? Of course Korra would struggle with the areas he had started with. He never taught her the proper stances, the footwork, or even the basic body movement! It makes sense that Korra would be unable to pass through the spinning gates, despite the fact that she'd been at it for weeks. In all honesty, there was hardly any improvement. And it wasn't Korra's fault. It was his. As soon as Tenzin reached the exit from the seating area, he stopped and released a heavy sigh. He's going to have to apologise to his student and her friend. If that's the case, he may as well stay and watch the match…

Round 3 had just begun, and it wasn't looking good for the Fire Ferrets. Immediately, the opponents separated Korra from Mako and Bolin, the Waterbender keeping the brothers occupied with dodging his strikes while the other two relentlessly attacked Korra. She tried to block and dodge their attacks, but there was too much power behind them, and she got pushed into Zone 3.

It looked like the game was over for the young Avatar, but much to the shock of Tenzin, Korra suddenly started spinning to dodge the attacks from her opponents, and her footwork was light and quick, changing direction mere milliseconds after noticing a new attack. She was moving just like… an Airbender. With this, the Platypus-Bear's strikes were only striking air.

"How about that?" Tenzin asked with the smallest smile as he watched.

After dodging for several more moments, the Platypus-Bears ran out of earth and water ammunition, whereas the Fire Ferrets were still locked and loaded. That in mind, the Ferrets launched a ruthless flurry of attacks at their opponents, slowly pushing them back. First, Mako pushed the opponent Waterbender off of the arena. Following that up, the Earthbender was thrown off by a combination of Korra's water jets and Bolin's earth disks. Finally, Korra managed to land a single jet of water to the Firebender's chest, with enough force behind it to send him flying off the edge, elicting a loud round cheers and applause from the crowd. Including…

"Woo-hoo!" Tenzin cheered with a fist in the air without thinking. Realising what he just did, he quickly composed himself with a single cough into his fist and turned to leave…

Only to find Alex in front of him with face-splitting evil grin.

"Mockery of the noble tradition of Bending eh?" he asked teasingly, making the Airbender go bright red in embarrassment and frustration. He tried to find a decent excuse as to why he was there, but failed miserably.

* * *

"You did very well out there Avatar." Alex smirked as he escorted Korra to the ferry where she could return to Air Temple Island.

"Thanks." She said with half-hearted smile. "I just wish Tenzin could have seen it…" She murmured sadly.

"He did." Alex kept his smirk as Korra's head shot up and she stopped in her tracks.

"What?" She asked in a gasp. Alex stopped walking and turned to face her.

"Tenzin stayed after you stormed off back to the arena. He saw everything." He grinned as Korra's jaw dropped. "He even cheered when you scored the win for your team." He added, making Korra's mouth twitch up in the corner a little.

"He… saw?" She asked softly.

"He did." Alex nodded. "And I think he was very proud of what he saw."

"But… Why didn't he stay then?" Korra asked, suddenly feeling confused.

"Well, you were pretty mad at him." Alex reminded her, eliciting a small wince fromm the Avatar. "I don't think he believed you'd want to face him after that. He probably wanted to give you time to cool off." he reasoned.

"I messed up pretty bad, didn't I?" Korra sighed.

"You did." The Metalbender agreed, making Korra slump in depression. "But so did he. I think you both need to apologise to one another." he told her wisely.

"Is it really that simple?" Korra asked unsurely.

"In this case, yes." Alex assured her, his mind wandering. Korra might not be Tenzin's daughter, but she is under his care, not unlike a parent, but still very different. As such, Alex knows exactly what's going between the two of them. The relationship is not too different from him and his mother, only Tenzin actually cares for Korra.

"In this case?" Korra parroted. Alex smiled bitterly.

"This is just a small spat between you and Tenzin, that's all." he assured her. "However, there some incidents where a simple apology will just not do." he said, looking at the stars with a faraway look in his eye. Korra's eyes widened in realisation.

"You're… you're talking about Beifong, aren't you?" She asked softly. Alex sighed and nodded. With a sympathetic look, Korra led Alex over to a bench and sat him down. "Talk to me." She said simply.

"What?" The Metalbender asked in confusion.

"You've helped me quite a bit in the time we've known each other." Korra crossed her arms. "Let me help you. I might not be able to offer any kind of life changing advice, but I can listen."

"Korra, I don't want to-"

"You won't be boring me or wasting my time." She cut him off. "Now spill." She all but order him. There was a moment of silence before Alex spoke again.

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" He asked in deadpanned tone. Korra's sweet smile, which Alex noted was uncannily similar to Pema's, was all the answer he needed. "Fine." he sighed and relented.

He proceeded to tell Korra the details of his relationship with his mother. How he was born from a one night stand and how his biological father ran off when he heard the news. He explained that while Lin was indeed a good mom to him, she never showed him the love that a mother usually showed her child. Korra's fist clenched when Alex told her that Lin had never even said she loved him before. Not sincerely anyway.

When Alex got to the part of their relationship being more like a student and master than a parent and child, Korra gaped at him in shock. True, she hadn't been raised by her parents like kost children, but she saw them often enough when she lived in the White Lotus Compound. She had a great relationship with her parents, and she loved them deeply, just as much as they did her. She knew that there were bad parents out there, but this was so very different. Alex grew up more like a soldier than a child.

"Spirits…" Korra breathed out as Alex finished his story. "I had no idea… H-how could she…?" Korra couldn't form a sentence she was so taken aback by all this.

"I don't blame her." Alex told her with a heavy sigh. "Despite the persona she puts on, my mother is actually a very fragile woman on the inside. What my father did got to her. I can't hold that against her." He shook his head. "But still, I can't help being… frustrated with her, and wishing things could have been better between us." he leaned back into the bench, looking at the stars. "Besides, she was never a bad mom. Just… empty in her care."

"I am so sorry." Korra whispered. Alex looked up at her with a bitter smile.

"Don't be. I gave up a good relationship with my mom a long time ago. There's no use dwelling on the past." He said as he got up, stretching his muscles. "Now, I believe I owe you Earthbending lessons, no?" He asked her with a smile. Knowing full well that Alex was just trying to change the subject, Korra nodded, smiling back.

"Yeah. I look forward to learning from Prodigy." She smirked as she stood up as well.

"Good. Since you've already mastered Earthbending, we won't be working on any of that normal stuff. Do you know how to Metalbend?" He asked her. Korra shook her head in response. "Well then, we'll start there." He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'll come by at around sunset tomorrow. That work for you?" He asked. Korra nodded eagerly. "Good." he said with a smile. "Want me to escort you to the Temple?" He asked with a smile. Korra smile back.

"Sounds nice." She responded. With that, the two benders made their way to the ferry.

* * *

"Well, there he is." Alex told the Avatar as they approached the spinning gates, seeing Tenzin supervising the Air Acolytes rebuilding said spinning gates that Korra had destroyed previously.

"I should get this overwith." Korra sighed in depression.

"Hey, it'll be fine." Alex assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "He saw the match, he saw that he was wrong. You know that you were wrong too. He'll forgive you, and he'll apologise too. You just need to take a leap of faith." he told her. "Believe me when I say that everything is much better after everyone apologizes."

"Thanks Alex." Korra gave him a quick hug.

"Anytime Korra." Alex said as they separated. "Now, I should probably go before Ikki finds me." He joked, eliciting a giggle from Korra.

"Right, see ya Alex." She said as he started walking off.

"See ya Korra." He waved over his shoulder and made his way to the ferry they used to get here.

* * *

In the dining room in the Air Temple, Pema was sitting in between her two daughters, Jinora on her right, reading a book, and Ikki on her left, resting her head in her mother's lap, slowly drifting off to sleep. Suddenly, Ikki's head shot up, her eyes glaring at the window calculatingly.

"Ikki? What's wrong Sweetie?" Pema asked her daughter.

"My Alex-Sense is tingling." Ikki responded, Airbending the window open before flying out with her glider.

"Oh my, it appears we're having a slumber party with Alex tonight." Pema giggled before getting back to her tea.

"Indeed." Jinora agreed, smiling as she went back to her book. She was just as fond of Alex as Ikki was, but not as clingy.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A masculine scream sounded through the air out of nowhere. Nobody on the island paid it any mind, knowing exactly what it was.

* * *

 **And we are done with chapter 4! Sorry for taking so long with all my updates. As I said back in my DxD update, things have been very busy these past few weeks. That's not going to change, but I will still update. The time in between will just be significantly longer.**

 **Ooh, and who else thinks its a good idea for korra to learn Metalbending early? I remember when I first watched ATLA, when we first saw Toph Metalbending, I thought: "She MUST teach Aang how to do that!" And it never happened. Not on screen anyway. It's just mentioned that Aang tried to learn at some point, and failed. Then, as soon as I saw the Metalbending Police in the FIRST episode of LoK, I was thinking we would finally get to see a Metalbending Avatar. And we did. In Season 3! Not soon enough in my opinion. So, I'm taking matters into my own hands.**

 **And just to let you guys know, this story isn't gonna be one of those where Korra does the same confession to the OC as she did to Mako in canon and then they're all lovey-dovey. There will be conflict between them before they get together, which will be at some point at the very end of season 1. So, don't expect this story to be an instant sappy love story.**

 **And with that, I believe I am done. Thank you and goodnight ya'll.**


	5. Metalbender

"What's the big idea making me train so early in the morning?" Korra whined as she, Mako, and Bolin tossed a ball to each other in the Pro-bending gym, a day after the match Korra won for them. "The morning is evil…" She whispered with a deranged look.

"What I'd like to know, is why the fuck I'm here so early in the morning!?" A voice suddenly cried. The three Pro-benders turned and saw their favourite Metalbender sitting in one of the corners, hugging his legs to his chest. "It's not noon… I never get up before noon… what would Mistress Ikki say? She'll be so disappointed…" He murmured like a crazy person, rocking back and forth like someone who should be in mental ward.

"What's up with him?" Mako asked in confusion.

"Ikki got ahold of him last night." Korra sighed. "Poor guy's been traumatised since then." She gave the Metalbender a sympathetic look. "As adorable as she is, she's terrifying." She shuddered slightly.

"And he's here because…?" Bolin trailed off, waiting for an answer. He loves having his old friend around, but why would Alex be at the Pro-bending gym at this time?

"Tenzin wants me to be supervised at all times." Korra sighed in heavy exasperation. "And Alex has been assigned to do just that by Chief Moody McGrouch." She snarked with a roll of her eyes. "They both think I can't go into the city without an escort." She growled defensively. She looked confused when Mako snickered at her words. Was there some sort of pun there?

"Ah." Bolin nodded as Korra tossed the ball to him. "Anyway, answering your question, as the rookies, we get the worst time slot in the gym." he sighed, tossing the ball to Mako.

"And you're the rookiest of us all. We gotta get you up to speed if we want to survive in the tournament." The Firebender added, tossing the ball to Korra. "Deal with it." he said.

"You deal with it." Korra shot back, throwing the ball into his stomach, making him fall over. Alex managed a small laugh in the corner, though he still looked traumatised by whatever Ikki did to him.

"There are my little hardworking little street urchins!" The door suddenly burst open, revealing a man in around his forties wearing fancy, though not necessarily good, clothes. He approached the Fire Ferrets with a wide smile and placed a hand on Korra's shoulder. "It's an honor to finally meet you Avatar." he said with a polite smile.

"And you are?" Korra asked.

"Butaka." the man introduced himself. "I run this whole Pro-bending shebang." He took off his hat and bowed in greeting and respect to the Avatar. "Here are your winnings from the last match." He said to Mako, who grinned as a giant stack of yuans was placed his hand. He was about to pocket it, but Butaka stopped him. "Not so fast." He said. "First you owe me for the Avatar's new gear." he took the appropriate amount from the stack. "Gym and equipment rental last month." He took a little more. "Rent on your apartment." A little more. "And the personal loan for groceries." He took the last of the stack, making Mako glare at his younger brother.

"What? I'm a growing boy." Bolin defended, patting his stomach.

"Oh, one more small business detail." Butaka spoke up again. "The Fire-Ferrets need to cough up 30 000 yuans for the Championship Pot." he told them.

"30,000 yuans!?" Bolin yelled in shock.

"Sorry kids." Butaka apologised. "You got till the end of the week to come up with the dough, or your out of the tournament." the man said regretfully, taking his leave.

"30k? That's some serious cash." Alex said, having finally snapped out of his stupor.

"You wouldn't happen to have a secret Avatar bank account overflowing with gold, would you?" Bolin asked Korra hopefully.

"I got nothing." Korra replied, showing her empty pockets. "I never really needed money." she shrugged. "I've always had people taking care of me." She said with a smile, which turned into a frown as Alex facepalmed.

"Then I wouldn't say you've had nothing." Mako muttered bitterly, putting the training ball and packing it into a sports bag. Korra's eyes widened in realisation as she realised what she had said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." she trailed off, not quite knowing what to say.

"No, it's alright." Bolin smiled sadly. "It's just that, ever since we lost our parents we've been on our own." His shoulders dropped in sadness. One of the few things that could drop Bolin's cheery attitude was remembering what he and his big brother went through in their childhood.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know." The Avatar said in regret.

"So anyways, how are we supposed to get the 30,000 yuans before the tournament?" Mako asked, hoping someone had an idea.

"Geez, if it was two weeks ago, I could have lent it to you." Alex shook his head. "I'd managed to save up 120k for my condo, which I bought two weeks ago." he sighed. The Fire Ferrets sighed as well.

"Oh, I got it!" Bolin suddenly perked up, kneeling and picking up his furry friend Pabu, the Fire Ferret the team is named for. "We have Pabu perform circus tricks! People would pay good money to see that!" he said excitedly.

"We need serious suggestions Boiln!" Mako said to his brother, clearly annoyed.

"But… I was serious…" Bolin deflated, looking hurt.

"One week isn't enough time Bolin." Alex shook his head. "You might be able to gather 30k in a few months, but a week? Not happening." he said. Bolin pouted heavily.

"Don't worry about it." Mako sighed. "I'll figure something out. I always do." He said, walking away.

"If you need any help, call me." Alex told him. Mako nodded with a grateful smile and continued on his way, whilst Bolin snuck out. "Well then, shall we head to the Air Temple and begin our lessons?" Alex asked the Avatar, who grinned excitedly and nodded.

* * *

As Alex and Korra headed towards the docks to Air Temple Island, they stopped by a couple of stores to see what they had to offer. Korra was really glad to have an escort so she wouldn't get lost. Again, she was confused when Alex snickered at her words. What was so funny?

Anyways, whilst they walked and talked together, Korra noticed a lot of women and girls, ranging from early teens to women in their 40s, where glaring at her, like she was some kind of politician who couldn't be touched for her crimes. At first, she was incredibly confused and consulted her friend as to why every woman was staring at her with anger. His response was a quick laugh and the fact that the women were jealous. Korra, being a little naive, didn't understand at first. She couldn't understand why they would be jealous.

" _Wait.."_ She thought to herself before she gasped at the realization. She remembered Ikki saying that Alex had a reputation in Republic City for being not only a fantastic detective, but was also very popular with the women. There were married housewives/cougars that gossiped about leaving their husbands to try and sink their claws into him, and the less experienced teenage girls were always swapping ideas on how to seduce him themselves.

Korra suddenly blushed as that thought came to mind. As stated before, she'd never been in a relationship before, so she was still 'pure' in many regards. The thought of a relationship or human contact had never crossed her mind. Now that she realises what most of the women glaring at her for, she couldn't help her mind from wandering, imagining herself and Alex in throes of passion. She'd be straddling his waist, kissing him furiously as their hands explored each others bodies whilst she made like a motorcycle and rode his-

"You Ok Korra? You look a bit red." Alex pulled Korra from her thoughts as they stopped walking.

"I'm fine!" Korra yelped a little too loudly, her cheeks blazing as she realised just _what_ she was thinking about mere seconds before. She prayed to the spirits the tingling sensation she felt _down there_ would go away as soon as possible.

"Well, we're here at the docks…" Alex said in confusion. Korra could not get on the ferry fast enough, doing everything she could to avoid looking into Alex's eyes. She didn't notice the bit of drool that ran down her chin from the corner of her mouth until they had set foot on the island...

* * *

"Alright, this is what we'll start with." Alex said, tossing Korra a strange rock as they arrived in the training area of the Air Temple. The rock was about twice the size of her fist, and a strange, shiny black colour.

"It's so light." Korra observed, tossing the rock up and down a little.

"It's a meteorite." Alex explained. "It's perfect for beginning Metalbenders because it has a unique property that makes it easier to bend." He added, holding his hand up. The rock slowly floated up from Korra's hand and towards Alex, where it floated in front of him. He let his hands roam around the area the rock occupied before pulling hands apart a little, making the rock morph into the shape of a three dimensional star, and then a diamond, a splat, and back to its _exact_ original form.

"That's amazing!" Korra gasped in awe. Alex smiled at her and tossed the rock back at her. As she caught it, Alex put his hands on his waist.

"Now you try." He smiled. "And listen to what I say as you try to bend." He added.

"Okay." Korra nodded, taking a deep breath. She hardened her stance a little, holding the rock in one hand, while the other hovered over the rock.

"Metal and Earth are not as separate as one would think." Alex explained whilst Korra focussed. "To put it in simple terms, Metal IS Earth, just purified, and refined." he continued. "But that doesn't make it unbendable. All metals have some form of impurities in them, some more than others. The more impurities, the easier is to bend." he went on. The rock twitched in Korra's hand, making Alex smile. "The key to Metalbending is to bend the impurities inside the metal. If you do, the rest of the metal will follow it. So, direct all of your focus to the fine pieces of Earth scattered within the Metal." He instructed. Korra took one more deep breath before she pulled her hand away from the rock. Lo and behold, the metal warped into a crude, misshapen bowl-like form.

"I can't believe it…" The Avatar gasped. "I'm Metalbending!" She smiled excitedly at Alex, who returned the smile.

"Great job Korra." Alex grinned, placing a hand on the Avatar's shoulder.

* * *

After a few hours of showing Korra the fundamentals of Metalbending, Alex decided it was time for a little test. He would tell her what to morph the meteorite into, and Korra would bend the space rock into what shape he said.

"Star." he instructed.

"A star. Here we go…" Korra murmured as she levitated the rock between er hands, morphing it into the shape of a star.

"Diamond." Korra morphed the rock. "Cylinder." The rock extended to about the length of one's forearm, and about as thick as a finger. "House." The Avatar bent the metal into a different shape. "Splat." She couldn't resist a faint giggle as she sculpted the splat shape. "Tree." This one a little more difficult, as a tree was much more intricate in the placement of it's branches, but she managed. "And back to the original." And with that, the rock was once again in the _exact_ shape it was when Korra first saw it.

"And?" Korra asked, a hopeful tone in her voice as she looked to Alex for an answer as to how she did. For a few painstaking moments, Alex said nothing. But, then he smiled approvingly.

"Congratulations. You are now the first Metalbending Avatar." he said with a grin, which Korra returned excitedly.

"Thank you so much Alex." Korra squealed happily and hugged her Metalbending Master. "I never knew Metalbending was such an amazing experience!" She said in excitement, not noticing Alex blush as they separated.

Alex couldn't refute her words though. Metalbending truly did feel amazing when you performed the art. Reaching inside the metal and bending the impurities within it was a taxing task at the beginning, but feeling the Metal move along with the fine pieces of Earth within it? Korra compared it to bending a droplet of water and having a bathtub's worth of water follow it. And the sense of accomplishment afterwards was more than worth the effort.

Eventually, Alex and Korra moved on to bending more pure metals, like iron and steel. Both are by no means completely pure, but they both hold considerably less impurities than a meteorite, making them more difficult to bend. Alex explained to Korra how Platinum was absolutely impossible to bend because it has little to no impurities. All metals have them, as it's impossible to completely and utterly purify any metal 100%, but metals like Platinum and Gold have so few. It _is_ possible to bend Gold, as it's not nearly as pure as Platinum, but it is very difficult. Both Alex and Lin struggle in that department.

Anyways, after confirming that Korra can indeed bend steel, Alex lent her one of his gauntlets that hold the blade and the zipline the Metalbending Police use. After showing the Avatar how to fasten the gauntlet onto her arm, the Detective declared it was time for a spar, which Korra eagerly agreed to. They were about to begin, when…

"Whatcha guys doin?!" A cheerful, peppy voice asked loudly. One that terrified Alex to no end.

"AAAAAH!" he screamed, quickly running over to Korra and hiding behind her, making the Airbender girls look at the pair in confusion as they approached.

"Ikki? Jinora? What are you two doing here?" Korra asked, ignoring the quivering form of Alex hiding behind her.

"We were taking a walk, and then we heard what sounded metalbending. We came to see." Jinora explained.

"Hi Alex!" Ikki waved at her favorite Metalbender, smiling sweetly the whole time.

"Get it away!" Alex cried, shivering like a naked man in the South Pole.

" _Just WHAT did Ikki do to traumatize him so much?"_ Korra thought incredulously as she stared at the quivering man behind her.

* * *

After finally convincing Ikki and Jinora to hang back, waaaaaaay back, whilst Korra and Alex spared, the two faced each other, each readying the gauntlets they wore on their right arms. It was definitely a good thing that Alex's gauntlets could fit on either hand…

"On three?" the Metalbender asked with a smirk.

"On three." the Avatar agreed.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

Finishing the countdown in unison, the pair charged each other, bending the blades out of their gauntlets. In an instant, they'd clashed blades, pushing into each other for a split second before backflipping away.

Korra retracted the blade and shot the cable at her opponent, whipping at him like she'd seen him do the first time they'd spared. Seeing this coming, Alex rolled to the side, avoiding the steel cable and shooting his own at the Avatar, managing to latch it onto her ankle. Before she could react, Korra found herself on the ground, letting out a yelp as she fell.

"Have a nice trip Korra?" Alex quipped, grinning as the Avatar jumped back up to her feet. With a glare, she shot her cable at him once more, only for him to do the same, the cables colliding and warping into a knot. Wanting to get him like he got her, Korra thought quickly and grabbed the cable, intent on yanking her opponent towards her.

Sadly, she wasn't fast enough. Alex grabbed the cable himself, and whipped it down. Hard. The force travelled through the cable in a wave, straight towards the other end, which just so happened to be attached to Korra.

"Oh, sh-" She didn't get to finish her curse before she found herself flung into the air. As she soared towards a tree trunk, she was vaguely aware of Alex undoing the knot between the two cables, but collided with a tree face first to properly register it. She fell to the ground, landing on her back, her face bright red from the collision, and a Korra-face-shaped dent in the tree. "Ow." She said simply.

On the sidelines, Ikki and Jinora burst into laughter at the sight. Normally, they don't laugh at Korra's failures. However, this wasn't Airbending training, it was Metalbending. And Korra was taking these lessons from Alex out of a personal desire to Metalbend, not a necessity. As such, these lessons weren't as serious as the Airbending lessons, so they knew Korra wouldn't have much of a problem with them laughing. At least, not as much as she would if this was Airbending training.

"You know, if this whole Avatar thing doesn't work out, you could go into modeling!" Alex called out to her tauntingly. "You've already made an excellent mold in the tree! Imagine what you could make with clay?" He smirked as Korra got up, glaring at him with her face red in embarrassment.

Oh, it was _on_ now.

* * *

"Bo, I'm back! Picked up your favorites dumplings!" Mako announced as he entered the apartment he and his brother shared. He was exhausted, having spent the entire day working, providing electricity at the Power Plant with his Lightning Generation skills.. "Hey, I got a job at the power plant. Made some decent money while I was at it." He added, falling into the couch. Yeah, lightning really takes it out of you.

"Bolin? You here, Bro?" Mako asked, noticing that he hadn't gotten a reply, which happened again after his last sentence. This was strange, as Bolin is usually home by this time. After looking out the window, Mako couldn't help smirking when he saw Air Temple Island. There's a good chance that's Bolin went."Looks like the little lovebird is making a house call." he observed.

* * *

"How's… that…?" Korra panted from her position on top of Alex, her blade at his throat and her other hand pinning his arms above his head.

"Great…" Alex too panted. This spare was rather taxing on both them. "Don't you think you should take me out to dinner first though?" he asked with a smirk. He'd been holding that one in for some time.

"Wha?" Korra asked, confused. However, when she heard the two young girls giggling on the sidelines, she noticed the current position she and her teacher were in, and knew exactly what he was implying. With a loud squeak of embarrassment, she jumped off of the Metalbender, who was grinning in amusement.

"Nicely done Korra." he complimented her. He'd predicted that she would make a good Metalbender, but he didn't think she'd get so good so soon. "You learnt faster than I'd expected." He added, dusting himself off.

"I think it's because she wants to impress you." Jinora spoke up teasingly, making Korra flush.

"Korra loves Alex! Korra loves Alex!" Ikki cheered, making the Detective flush alongside the Avatar.

"Cut it out you little brat!" Korra snapped, incredibly embarrassed.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Ikki returned with a cheeky grin, making Korra visibly tremble. Alex wisely took a step back.

"Oh, he's cute." Jinora suddenly said, her eyes focussed on an approaching figure, which Alex recognised as Mako. "Korra? Is that the handsome Firebender who drives you crazy?" She asked the Avatar curiously, making Ikki gasped in shock!

"No! Korra must love Al-" The younger Airbender was cut off by Korra and Alex Earthbending them away in perfect sync.

"Yo! Mako! What's up?" Alex asked, a faint blush on his face as he tried to forget the insinuations the girls had made just moments ago. He was also doing his best to ignore the girls giggling as they landed.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" The Firebender responded.

"He's teaching me Metalbending." Korra said with a grin, gesturing to the gauntlet she was wearing.

"Cool." Mako shrugged. "Either of you seen Bolin?" he asked. Straight to the point.

"Not since practice." Korra answered "Why?" She asked.

"Something wrong?" Alex asked worriedly.

"I don't know." Mako shook his head, an uneasy look on his face. "You know he has a knack for getting into stupid situations." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah, that he does." Alex deadpanned.

"Well, if you need help looking…" Korra trailed off the offer.

"Don't worry about it." Mako waved her off, turning around. "I'll find him." he said, walking off.

"Mako." Alex called out with his hands on his hips. "Bolin's our friend too you know. Let us help." He said, turning to Korra. "Naga can track right?" he asked. Korra grinned widely and nodded.

"Who's Naga?" Mako asked in confusion.

"My best friend, and a great tracker." Korra crossed her arms with a smirk.

* * *

"Your best friend is... a polar bear dog…" Mako deadpanned as he, Alex, and Korra rode on the back of the massive beast through the city. "Somehow, that makes sense." He realised.

" _Perfect_ sense." Alex chuckled with a shake of his head.

"I'll take that as a compliment, City Boys." Korra smirked at them.

The trio had been searching for Bolin for about half an hour since they left Air Temple Island. About 10 minutes previous, Naga picked up his scent, and they'd been following it since. Silently, Mako was really worrying about his brother, as was Alex. Korra wasn't as worried, since she didn't know the extent of how stupid the situations Bolin gets in. She did have some idea, given how Alex and Mako have reacted thus far, but it's clearly not enough.

" _Oh no…"_ Alex groaned internally as Naga stopped in the City Square, right in front of the statue of Fire Lord Zuko that was spewing fire from the mouth and hands. There were also several food stands, street urchins, and tourists around the area. It was also a common place for the Triads to meet up… Fantastic…

"This is his usual hangout." Mako observed as the trio dismounted Naga. They all looked around, but couldn't find any sign of the younger Earthbender.

"Gimme a minute." Alex told them, lifting his foot up. Mako and Korra seemed confused for a moment before the soul of his boot slid open, revealing his foot. He then proceeded to slam his foot down, feeling the vibrations coursing through the ground, colliding with the vibrations of the people in the area. After a moment, he opened his eyes. "There are only three Earthbenders in the area. Two of them are women, the other is too small to be Bolin." he told his friends.

"How can you tell?" Korra asked in confusion. Mako was also somewhat confused. He knew Alex could use Seismic Sense, but this was weird…

"Different Benders have subtle differences in their footsteps." Alex explained, sliding the soul of his boot back up. "Airbenders barely skim the ground, Waterbenders are smooth and flowing, Earthbenders are hard and straight, and Firebenders are repetitive, patterned." he said.

"Wow." Korra said, impressed. Maybe she should invest some time in learning the Seismic Sense… Suddenly, it occurred to her that for the Avatar, she has surprisingly little mastery over the subset skills of the elements.

"Still, Bolin's not her though, right?" Mako asked with a sigh.

"Unfortunately not." Alex shook his head. "But I know someone who is." He walked off, telling the other two to follow. As they walked, the trio came across a group of children playing. One articular child was rather familiar to Alex. "Skoochy!" he called out. One of the children, a street urchin with relatively old, but not bad condition, clothes heard the call and turned to face Alex,a wide and evil grin splitting his face.

"Detective Beifong." The boy, named Skoochy apparently, crossed his arms as he came up to the trio. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked with a smirk, making the Detective sigh.

"Guys, this Skoochy, one of my CI's." He introduced, shaking his head as he pulled out a 50 Yuan note. "You seen Bolin of the Fire Ferrets? He's missing." He told the street urchin, who happily eyed the money.

"Yeah, I've seen him." he answered, making Alex give him the money.

"When? And what was he doing?" The Detective asked, crossing his arms.

"Around noon." Skoochy shrugged. "He was performing some kind of monkey-rat circus, and then…" he trailed off, raising his eyebrow expectantly.

"You're one to talk about rats." Alex scoffed, pulling out another 50 Yuan note. "Then what?" he asked, not giving the boy the cash yet.

"Fine." Skoochy scowled. "Shady Shin showed up and flashed some serious cash." He whispered after leaning in close. Alex and Mako's eyes widened at the mention of Shady Shin, one the most notorious recruiters of the Triple Threat Triads, as well as a powerful Waterbender.

"Tell me he didn't…" Alex pleaded softly, his head hanging.

"He did." Skoochy confirmed. "Bolin took of with him in his hot rod." he quickly pocketed the cash as Alex gave it to him. "The Triple Threats, the Red Monsoons, the Agni Kais… All of the Triads are muscling up for something real big." he said, still whispering.

"Any idea what?" Alex asked.

"Nu uh! That's all you're getting out of me for today!" Skoochy said a little fearfully, making Alex sigh as he ran off.

"What's going on?" Korra asked unsurely, not sure what to make of what had been said.

"Looks like a Turf War's brewing, and Bolin's about to get caught in the middle of it." Mako glared at the ground.

"If he's not already." Alex clenched his fist. "Mako?"

"Yeah?"

"When we find your brother, I'm giving him a black eye."

"No objections here."

"Good."

"Just save his jaw for me."

"Deal."

Korra couldn't help but give the two boys a weary glance at the exchange they just had. She just HAD to make friends with really weird guys, didn't she? Well, she doesn't regret it, so what's the worst that could happen?

If only she knew…

* * *

 **And another one bites the dust! What do you think? Was it a good idea to give Korra the Metalbending early? And what about the innuendos scattered throughout the chapter? I'm especially proud of those. XP**

 **Ok, I need your opinions on something; can an Earthbender bend bones? Bones are mostly made of Calcium, which is an Alkaline Earth metal. And it's not as pure as something like Gold or Platinum. So, theoretically, it should be possible. Tell me what you think in your reviews.**

 **I'm thinking of having Alex develop a technique that instantly breaks the victim's bone. Or maybe just fractures it because bone isn't completely bendable? I don't know.**

 **Lastly, don't expect back to back updates like this too often. I'm still looking for work, which is a NIGHTMARE, and it's taking up a lot of my time. I mean seriously, everything requires _this_ amount of experience, or _that_ degree/diploma. How is ANYONE supposed to get a job when everything requires experience and diplomas?**

 **Sorry, rambling with my writing. :P**

 **Please review!**


	6. The Revelation

"So, where are we headed?" Korra asked seriously as she, Alex, and Mako sped through the city on Naga, following Mako's directions.

"Triple Threat Territory." Mako answered as the Polar Bear Dog ran. "Hopefully Bolin's there and nothing's gone down yet." he added grimly.

"Triple Threat Triad?" Korra asked. "I beat up some of those yahoos when I got into town." She recalled.

"Yeah, I arrested two of them. Shady Shin was the only one who managed to get out of it." Alex told the two of them.

"Why would Bolin get tangled up wit- whoa!" The Avatar transitioned into a yelp in the middle of her sentence as Naga suddenly changed directions of her own accord. "Whoa Naga!" She tried to get the beast to stop, but she wouldn't. Naga suddenly came to a stop in front of a lamp post, where a familiar, red, rodent was climbing up, her tongue hanging out of her mouth excitedly. Korra realised she'd been chasing the rodent.

"That's Pabu!" Mako gasped as the Polar Bear Dog stopped.

"Naga no!" Korra snapped at her best friend as she made to pounce on the rodent. "Pabu's a friend, not a snack." She chastised her mount. Pabu quickly jumped off of the lamp post and landed on Naga's back, scurrying to Mako's shoulder.

"We gotta hurry." The Firebender said urgently. If Pabu isn't with Bolin, something's not right. With a nod, Korra urged her friend to continue on their previous course.

* * *

Arriving at their destination, Alex, Mako and Korra dismounted Naga, noticing how quiet the area was.

"Something's not right." Mako observed. "There are usually a crap load thugs posted up front. We gotta be cautious." He said, carefully approaching the entrance. He pushed his back against the side of the door, gesturing for his friends to follow.

Korra, having a deadpanned look on her face, casually approached the door and kicked it down.

"Cautious indeed." Alex deadpanned, making Korra roll her eyes.

The trio entered the building, finding it empty. There were a couple of tables and chairs turned over, no doubt the result of someone cheating at a card game, given that there were cards scattered across the ground. Alex knelt down and picked up an empty liquor bottle on the ground, giving the tip a small sniff.

"This place hasn't been empty for too long." He said, standing up. "Alcohol smell fades within an hour in an empty bottle, even less in a cheap one like this." he explained, seeing the confused look on his friends' faces. "And the smell is still strong in here." he added, putting the bottle down. "I'd say this place has only been empty for 20 minutes, half an hour tops." he deduced.

"Bolin! You in here?" Mako called out to the room, receiving no answer.

"Let's find out." Alex spoke up, lifting his foot. Like before, the soul of his boot slid down, revealing the bottom of his foot, and slammed it down. The vibrations revealed much about the room. A hidden compartment with extra bottles of booze, one or two caches of no doubt illegal drugs around the room, and couple of knives hidden under the chairs or tables that weren't flipped over. Sadly, no people except himself and his friends. "The place is empty, but…" He trailed off, keeping his focus. Suddenly, his eyes shot open. "Outside!" he said urgently.

However, as he finished his sentence, the sound of an engine starting could be heard. The trio instantly shot out of the backdoor, finding two trucks about to leave and five motorcycles surrounding them. Each one had a rider wearing a full body black suit and some kind of strange filter mask. Anyways, as one of the trucks' rear doors was being closed, Mako, Korra and Alex noticed Bolin inside, tied up and gagged, with Shasy Shin beside him in the same condition.

"Bolin!" Mako shouted in horror. Sadly, he was too late. Both trucks instantly shot off into the distance, followed by the motorcyclists, who threw a couple of smoke bombs, surrounding the trio with strange green smoke.

"Naga!" Korra shouted through her coughing fit. The Polar Bear Dog instantly shot through the smoke and was mounted by Korra and Mako, whilst Alex shot after them on a ramp of Earth that he bent forward like a skateboard. In perfect sync, Alex and Naga shot out of the green smoke.

They turned a corner, thankful to see they hadn't lost the trucks and motorcycles. Hoping to slow them down, and make it easier to catch them, Mako swung several balls of fire at the kidnappers, truck or motorcycle, to no avail. Those masked guys were surprisingly agile on their motorcycles. Following up on Mako's idea, Alex tried to stop one of the cyclists by bringing ground underneath him up, only for the rider to use the lifted ground like a ramp and jump forward.

After following the kidnappers into an open town square, three of the motorcyclists stopped, turned, and threw a couple of bola's at the trio. Alex managed to deflect the one directed at him with his gauntlet blade, but Naga's feet got caught in the other, sending Korra flying off of the beast and into the Metalbender, sending them both to the ground, Mako sliding up to them a second later.

They were just barely able to regain their bearings before the three motorcyclists jumped off of their motorcycles and cartwheeled, yes, _cartwheeled,_ towards them. Instantly, they shot up and avoided being kicked. Alex immediately knew who these guys were; they were Chi-Blockers, experts in fighting benders and 'leveling the playground,' so to speak.

Sadly, before he could say anything, the trio had to split up, each facing one Chi-Blocker. Korra and Mako had small, scrawny, definitely masculine opponents, but Alex's foe was more built, and had a feminine figure, though still skinny. That made her more dangerous, as the female Chi-Blockers were usually faster, and better at their art than the males, and her build meant she was strong.

Alex instantly decided it would be best to try long-ranged attacks, especially considering what he was up against. So, he did a backflip, with the help of a small Earthbending boost, and landed a good distance away from his opponent, shooting his cables at her. Unfortunately, the woman was too quick, and flipped to the side, avoiding the attack.

As Alex rolled his cable back into his gauntlet, his foe shot towards him, no doubt intent on making the fight more close range. Alex couldn't allow that, so he bent a rock about the size of his fist up from the ground and into his hand. Doing another Earthbending backflip, he landed and hovered the rock in between his horizontal palms, spinning it. In mere seconds, the rock melted into a spinning shuriken of lava.

Time to get serious.

Alex threw the shuriken at the approaching Chi-Blocker, who tried to dodge it, but the lava was too fast. It hit her right in the chest, knocking her down. Though, she recovered quickly, clearly surprised by the new development, and continued on her path to take down the Detective, who threw the lava shuriken at her again. This time, she was ready. She skid to ground, right underneath the shuriken as it flew. However, as she got back up to her feet, Alex pulled the shuriken back towards himself, the Chi-Blocker in its path. The shuriken hit the foe right in the back of her head, sending her to the ground face first, knocked out.

Sadly, Alex couldn't relish in his victory for too long. As soon as he took the Chi-Blocker down, he saw Korra and Mako on the ground, struggling to get up due to Chi-Blocking jabs, with the other two enemies approaching, spinning their bolas. Alex wasted no time. He shot towards his friends, jumped up high, and slammed his fists down onto the ground. The ground between his friends and the Chi-Blockers melted into a pool of lava, startling the enemies as they turned to face the Detective, finding him glaring at them with a spinning lava shuriken.

For about three seconds, three painstakingly long seconds, nobody moved. Then, the two remaining Chi-Blockers shared a look, nodding at each other. Before anyone could react, they jumped back and threw more of those green smoke bombs, disappearing from sight. The last thing the trio heard was the sound of motorcycles driving off, and something being scooped from the ground. Alex theorised that the other two had grabbed their comrade.

Well, at least they're loyal.

"Fuck." Alex cursed, letting the lava he'd created cool and harden. "They got a way." he sighed, turning to his friends. "You guys ok?" he asked in concern, holding his hands out.

"Yeah, I think so." Korra responded, grabbing his hand. Mako did the same. Suddenly, Korra had this awkward feeling in her arm. She tried to bend, thrusting her arm forward in an attempt to Firebend, but nothing came out. Not even a single puff of smoke. "I can't bend…" Korra said, alarmed. She tried again. Same result. "I can't bend!" She yelled, starting to freak out.

"Korra! Calm down!" Alex said loudly, placing his hands on Korra's shoulders. "It'll be fine." He told her soothingly.

"Alex is right; it'll wear off." Mako spoke up, rubbing his wrist. "Those guys were chi-blockers. Amon's henchmen." he added. Korra let out a sigh of relief as she found out it wasn't permanent. She wouldn't know what to do without her bending.

Wait, did Mako just say 'Amon?'

"Amon? That anti-bending guy with the mask?" She asked, remembering her first day in Republic City.

"Yeah. He's the leader of the Equalists." Mako confirmed.

"What bugs me is why they kidnapped the Triple Threats." Alex spoke up. "What would they want with a bunch of gangsters?" he asked, walking over to Naga, who licked him happily as he cut her bounds.

"No clue." Mako shook his head. "But whatever it is, it can't be good." he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I can't believe Bolin got himself into this mess!" He exclaimed in exasperation and fear.

"Calm down Mako." Alex placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder. "We'll find him, Ok?" He said softly, in an effort to comfort his best friend. "I promise." He added.

"And we won't stop until we do." Korra added reassuringly. Mako took a deep breath and nodded. Though he still had an unsure expression on his face.

* * *

And so the trio searched the city, in hopes of finding their friend. Unfortunately, the trucks didn't leave any noticable tracks that they could follow, and Naga's tracking wasn't doing much either, as the smoke bombs messed with her nose, rendering her tracking capabilities moot. The worst part, was that three of them were starting to feel the fatigue from searching for so long, as it was well past midnight.

"We've been out all night. No signs of him." Korra said, rubbing her eyes tiredly/

"The city's too big to search in one night." Alex yawned in fatigue. "Bo could be anywhere by now." He realised.

"We have to keep looking." Mako retorted stubbornly, though not any less tired than the other two. "But where?" He asked.

"I think we should rest for a little while." The Metalbender suggested.

"Not until we find Bolin!" Mako shot back harshly.

"Mako, think about it." Alex sighed. "Say we find him right now, what good are we going to be? We're tired, haven't eaten in several hours, and are most definitely going to get our asses kicked if we go up against a platoon of Chi-Blockers." he reasoned. Mako scowled in frustration, not knowing whether to be angry at his best friend, or to accept that he was right…

Thankfully, he didn't have to, as Korra suddenly spoke

"I have an idea!" She gasped, pulling on the reigns and turning Naga around.

* * *

"So, why are we hear, exactly?" Alex asked as Korra stopped Naga in front of a fountain in a park and dismounted, the other two following as Naga bent over a started drinking from the fountain, Pabu doing the same on her head.

"The first day I got into town, I ran into an Equalist protester, over there." Korra answered, pointing at where the the protester was the day she arrived in Republic City.

"You think they'll know where Bolin is?" Mako asked, not a hundred percent certain.

"It's our only lead right now." Korra shrugged.

"She's not wrong." Alex agreed.

With a sigh, mako nodded in acceptance and leaned against a tree, getting comfortable. Korra and Alex did the same, but against Naga. Thankfully, t so so bad, not even for Mako with the tree, as the grass was rather soft, and the whether wasn't all that bad, so they wouldn't have any problems. Suddenly, Korra remembered something.

"Hey Alex?" She asked, getting the Metalbender's attention. "When we were fighting the Chi-Blockers, I noticed that you didn't get Chi-Blocked. How did you avoid them?" She asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

Alex shrugged. "When you're in my line of work, you sometimes have to think outside the box. My Mom taught me how to fight without my Bending in case I got into a situation where I might not be able use it. Tonight was one such example." He explained. "Plus, I've come across a Chi-blocker or two since I joined the force. Best way to fight them is long range." he added.

Korra nodded in understanding. She'd never thought of that. All her life she thought that the Avatar was the most powerful thing on the planet, but she was rendered useless with just a few jabs to her arms and legs. It dawned on her that alongside the subset skills in Bending she didn't know, she also knew nothing about how to actually fight. Shaking her head, and wanting to leave those thoughts for another time, she turned to Mako.

"So, why is Bolin running around with the Triple Threats Triad anyway?" She asked him. The Fire Ferrets Captain looked away, avoiding the eyes of either of his friends..

"Well, we... used to do some work for them back in the day." He replied, albeit hesitantly. Neither him nor Korra noticed the light scowl that appeared on Alex's face.

"What!? Are you some kind of criminal!?" Korra asked, aghast.

"Calm down Korra." Alex sighed, making Korra look at him in confusion. Why was he, a Detective, not phased about his friend working with a bunch of criminals?!

"Alex is right! You don't know what you're talking about!" Mako shot back with a light glare, offended by the question. "I just ran numbers for them and stuff. We were orphans out on the streets. I did what I had to do to survive and protect my little brother." He defended, still glaring. Again, nobody noticed Alex when he, this time, winced. He still feels terrible for cutting off his two best friends back then.

"I'm sorry. It must have been really hard." Korra said, regretting her words in an instant. "Can I... ask what happened to your parents?"

As soon as she asked the question, Alex slumped into Naga in exasperation. He knew that the young Avatar's social skills weren't exactly top notch, having been locked in a compound for who knows how long, but anyone with any common decency knows not to ask an orphan what happened to their parents! You never know what kind of memories you could be bringing up! The parents could have abandoned them, they could have have run away from a pair of abusive parents, or, in Mako and Bolin's case...

"They were mugged by a Firebender." Mako sighed. "He cut them down right in front of me. I was eight when that happened." he said, pain evident in his voice.

"Mako..." Korra whispered as the boy gripped his scarf, covering his mouth with it.

"Bolin's the only family I have left. If anything happens to him..." He trailed off, not quite being able to finish the sentence.

"Nothing's going to happen to Bolin, Mako." Alex spoke up. "That's a promise." he added, earning a grateful smile from his old friend.

After a little while of silence, the trio ended up falling asleep in the places they sat; Mako against the tree and the other two against Naga, who was also sleeping. Pabu slept on the Polar Bear Dog's head. At some point in the night, Korra's sleeping form had fallen into Alex's arms.

* * *

Mako yawned as he woke up with the sun. Being a Firebender, he rises with the sun, making him the very definition of the term 'morning person.' The same could not be said for the young Avatar and her Metalbending coach. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Mako noticed his old friend laying against Naga, with Korra's head on his shoulder, her hands on his chest, and his arm around her waist. The Firebender couldn't help but grin at the sight. This was going make for some excellent blackmail/teasing material.

"Morning Lovebirds." He greeted teasingly as Korra and Alex's eyes fluttered open. "Sleep well?" He asked, a shit eating grin on his face. Alex immediately noticed the position he and Korra were in and couldn't help the blush that donned his face.

"Maybe." he replied to his friend with an embarrassed huff. He's not going to let Mako get away with teasing him that easily.

Shifting slightly, Korra slowly woke up. She felt incredibly rested, and very comfortable, despite the fact that she was sleeping on some kind of hard surface. Her hands scraped across said surface. It seemed to be made of… metal? Rather smooth metal too. And there was also a pleasant feeling grasping her waist in comfortable manner.

Wait, why is Alex sleeping so close to her?

"My my, quite bold of you Korra." The Metalbender said teasingly. Hey, just because he doesn't like being teased, doesn't mean he's not above it.

"Waaaaaaaah!" Korra shrieked as she realised the position she and Alex were in. Quickly as she could, she crawled away from him with a face red a tomato.

"If you wanted to cop a feel Korra, you could have just asked." Alex teased her again, his grin widening.

"Sh-Shut up P-pervert!" Korra screeched in embarrassment, with a light stutter, as her face got redder.

"Excuse me?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm the pervert? Who was straddling whom last night?" He asked, making Korra turn redder than Tenzin does when he's angry as she remembered the incident the Metalbender spoke of.

"We were sparring!" she roared in embarrassment. At this point, Mako lost it. He laughed hard, he fell to the ground clutching his stomach. Even if they needed to find Bolin ASAP, he couldn't help but find Korra's embarrassed and angry face hilarious. Plus, it was a good way to unwind from the stress of not knowing where Bolin was.

"Equality now! Equality now! We want Equality now!" Internally, Korra thanked the annoying voice that piped up loudly before Alex could say anything else. The trio of teenage Benders turned and saw an Equalist protester standing on a pedestal and screaming at the top of his lungs into a megaphone.

"That the guy?" Alex asked the Avatar, turning serious. Korra nodded, her blush slowly disappearing. As the trio made their way to the rotester, he kept ranting on and on about his nonsense.

"Non-benders of Republic City, Amon calls you to action! Take back your city! It's time for the-" he stopped when he Alex, Mako and Korra approaching and gasped. "It's you again! You cannot silence me Avatar!" He yelled at her through the megaphone.

With a glare, Korra brought her hand up and clenched it into a fist. The megaphone collapsed in on itself as she Metalbent it, making the protester yelp in shock as Korra tossed the infernal device to the side with her bending. It shattered into who knows how many pieces.

"Fucking hell, I thought Bolin's voice was annoying." Alex groaned, cleaning his ears out with his pinky. Mako couldn't help the snicker that escaped him. As much as he loved his little brother, the boy was incredibly annoying at times.

"What do you three benders want?!" The protester snarled, spitting the word 'benders' like a filthy curse word.

"Shut your yapper and listen up!" Korra shot back, glaring at the man. "My friend was kidnapped by some chi-blockers, where did they take him?" She demanded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" The protester looked away with a huff, crossing his arms.

"I don't believe you." Alex spoke up, taking a step forward. He used his cables to pull the pedestal out from under the protester, bringing him to the ground and sending the flyers everywhere.

"Witness the Revelation tonight at 9 o'clock." Mako read from one of the flyers he caught before sending the protester a narrow eyed gaze. "What's this Revelation thing?" he asked in calm, demanding tone.

"Nothing that concerns the likes of you three!" The man glared at Mako.

"You better believe it concerns the likes of us. Spill it!" Korra snrled, grabbing him by the collar.

"Korra, put him down." Alex said to the Avatar firmly. "There's a line. You're only proving him right." he said softly. Korra gave the protester one more glare before dropping him. With a sigh, Alex approached the man and crouched to match his eye level.

"What is the revelation, and where is it happening?" He asked with his eyes narrowed in a glare.

"N-No one knows what the Revelation is! And I have no idea what happened to your friend, but if he's a bender then he'll get what's coming to him." The man glared at Alex.

"Where?" Alex asked again. Before the protester could shoot back a response, a police officer saw the conflict and approached.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" He demanded.

"The Avatar is oppressing us! Help!" The protester spoke up loudly.

"Quiet you." Alex hissed, standing to face the officer. "Everything's fine Officer." He said, showing his badge. "This man is a person of interest in a case. Carry on with your patrol." he told him.

"Aye sir." The officer saluted. "I apologise if I interfered, Detective." He said before leaving.

"Now, where were…" Alex started speaking again, only to see the protester gone. "...we?" he finished his sentence with an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. "Let's go." He said to the other two, sighing as he grabbed couple of the flyers. Korra and Mako sighed as well, following after their Detective friend.

* * *

The trio made their way to a train station, sitting on a bridge underneath one of the bridges, with Naga and Pabu resting not too far. Once they were certain no one would eavesdrop, they started examining the flyers.

"Why didn't the Equalist put a location on these?" Korra asked, noticing how the flyers had text showing that something big was happening, but they said nothing about where to go.

"Probably because they don't want just anyone coming over to their big Revelation, whatever that is." Mako suggested.

"Especially not Benders." Alex added, examing one of the flyers closely. "I'm guessing there's a riddle to it. Check the backs." He told them, showing the map-like image on the back of the flyer he held. Curious, the Avatar and Firebender did as the Metalbender said, seeing the images on the back.

"You're right…" Mako murmured, comparing his image to Alex's.

"Four different images. Four differents pieces of a map." The Detective smirked.

"A puzzle!" Korra realised. With a nod, Alex grabbed four of the flyers and held them up in the correct order, comparing it with a map of the city on one of the walls.

"Bingo." He smirked triumphantly. "It's taking place at an old warehouse. I can get us there." He said, tossing the flyers aside. "We can make a quick pit stop at my place. I've got some clothes we can use as disguises." He told his companions.

"What do we need disguises for?" Korra asked in confusion.

"You're Avatar, I'm a Pro-Bending Captain, an he's a renowned Detective." Mako deadpanned.

"People are gonna know us." Alex added. Korra blushed in embarrassment as she realised they were right. "Like I said, let's make a stop at my place." He said, earning nods of agreement from the other two.

* * *

Having the Avatar and his old friend in his condo was… weird, for Alex. Sure, the place wasn't that bad. It was no suite, but it was decent. Korra ogled at his collection of meteorites that he had on one of his shelves, the one he'd used to teach her Metalbending amongst them, whilst Mako sat on his couch nonchalantly. Since they had time before the Revelation began, they just decided to hang out there until they left.

Alex and Korra spoke a little more about Metalbending, they brainstormed about how to get Bolin out of the mess he's no doubt in at the moment, and Alex even made them some coffee to try. He almost keeled over laughing when they spat it out in perfect sync, yelling about how bitter and gross it was. Then he added cream and sugar and Korra couldn't get enough of it. Mako said it was OK, but he's never had much of a sweet tooth. Korra however loved it.

Eventually, their little happy break came to an end. Mako donned a grey jacket that went down to his hips and a brown hat. Korra put on one of Alex's trench coats, except she buttoned it up, unlike Alex, and put on a beige hat. Alex got rid of his armour and put on his casual clothes, except he grabbed another of his trench coats, this one coming with a hood. He did keep his gauntlets though, as that's where his cables were stored.

With that, the trio made their way to the warehouse the map showed.

"This is the place." Alex told them as they approached the warehouse, pulling his hood up. "Take this." He said, pulling out one of the flyers from before.

"How come?" Korra asked in confusion.

"From what I've gathered, you need an invitation to get." The Metalbender explained. "I believe these are the invitations." He said, sending the guard a narrow eyed gaze as he let in another Equalist supporter. "To lower suspicion, we shouldn't be in such a large group. I'll go in first. You two wait 10 minutes before following me." He instructed.

"Noted." Mako and Korra nodded. Alex returned the nod and made his way towards the entrance.

"Halt. Where is your invitation?" The guard asked with a faint glare as he stopped him.

"This it?" Alex asked in a light malicious tone as he pulled out a flyer from his pocket.

The guard gave him a pleased smirk."The Revelation is upon us, my brother." he said, stepping aside to allow Alex access. Just about 10 minutes later, Korra and Mako joined him inside. The trio was awed and horrified by the amount of people that were attending the rally. There had to be a couple thousand of them.

"I knew a lot of people hated benders, but I've never seen so many in one place." Mako noted, clearly uncomfortable. Korra and Alex weren't faring much better.

"Damn, I really wish I had my armour." The Metalbender whispered. "I feel naked without it."

As the trio blended into the crowds, the lights above the stage turned on, illuminating the stage as a voice spoke up in announcement. "Please welcome, your hero, your saviour, Amon!" The voice announced as the floor of the stage slid open, revealing panel rising up. On it, were seven people. Five normal Chi-Blockers, another Chi-Blocker in a different outfit, and a man in a hood and mask. Amon. The crowd cheered as the stood there, waiting for them to calm themselves.

Once they did, he approached the microphone on the stage and spoke.. "My quest for equality began many years ago. When I was a boy, my family and I lived on a small farm. We weren't rich and none of us were benders. This made us very easy targets for the Firebender that extorted my father. One day, my father confronted this man. But when he did, that firebender took my family from me. And then, he took my face. I've been forced to hide behind a mask ever since." A collective gasp echoed across the crowd at Amon's story before he continued.

"As you know, the Avatar has recently arrived in Republic City." Everyone in the crowd, sans the three Benders, booed loudly at the mention of the Avatar. "And if she were here, she would tell you that bending brings balance to the world. But she is wrong. The only thing that bending has brought to the world is suffering. It has been the cause of every war in every era. But that is about to change." He said.

"I know what you've been wondering: What is the Revelation? You are about to get your answer. Since the beginning of time, the Spirits have acted as guardians of our world. And they have spoken to me. They said the Avatar has failed humanity." Hearing that, Korra tensed, and her eye started twitching in frustration and anger. Alex saw this and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her. It worked, somewhat. She was still angered, clearly, but she wasn't shaking. "That is why the Spirits have chosen me to usher new era of balance. They have granted me a power that will make equality a reality... The power to take someone's bending away, permanently." He held up a clenched fist. Korra's eyes widened at his words.

"That's impossible! There's no way!" she whispered to her companions.

"That guy is insane." Mako whispered back.

Alex on the other hand, wasn't too sure he agreed… In the past couple of centuries, many things that were considered impossible have been proven to be possible. His own Bending was a prime example; Metalbending was considered impossible until his own grandmother invented the technique single handedly. He needed more info before choosing whether or not he believed Amon's claim.

"Now for a demonstration." Amon spoke again, gesturing to the man at his right hand. "Please welcome 'Lightning Bolt' Zolt, leader of the Triple Threat Triad." He introduced a man that walked onto stage, tied up, and being escorted by a couple of Chi-Blockers."One of the most notorious criminals in Republic City." He added, prompting loud boos from the crowd.

"Ahhh, boo yourselves!" Zolt shot back at them as more Chi-Blockers brought in moretied up Benders, Bolin among them.

"There's Bolin." Korra gasped as she started make her way forward. Alex stopped her.

"There's too many of them Korra." He whispered. "We need to be smart."

"Then come up with a plan, Detective." Korra shot back, a little harshly.

"Shut it. I wanna see if this is real before we take any action." He glared at her.

"What!? My brother's up there, and you wanna satisfy your curiosity?!" Mako hissed in a whisper.

"Mako, we need to know what we're up against. If it's not real, no skin off any backs. If it is, one less Bending gangster on the streets." Alex reasoned. Mako glared at him, but kept silent. He knew his friend was smart; he wasn't a 19 year old Detective for nothing. Still, that doesn't mean he liked this plan...

Amon continued speaking. "Zolt has amassed a fortune by extorting and abusing non-benders. But his reign of terror is about to come to an end. Now, in the interest of fairness, I will give Zolt a chance to fight to keep his bending." he said as one of the Chi-blockers cut the Firebender's ties.

"You're gonna regret doing that, pal!" Zolt shouted with an evil grin as he shot a few fireballs at Amon, who dodged them with little to no effort, getting closer with every blast. Getting a little desperate, Zolt threw a bolt of lightning, which Amon was also able to dodge. Quickly, he grabbed the Firebender's wrist and brought him down to his knees. The lightning bolt flared everywhere as Amon brought his hand down on Zolt's head from behind, his thumb on the forehead. Zolt's eyes flickered in all directions as the bolt off lightning faded into fire, and then nothing, before he fell to the ground. He struggled to get up, thrusting a fist in Amon's direction. Nothing happened. "What... What did you do to me?" He asked, panting heavily.

"Your Firebending is gone. Forever." Amon answered, malice in his tone as the crowd went wild with their cheers. Alex noticed Korra's eyes widening in shock and the smallest hint of fear. "The era of bending is over. A new era of equality has begun!" Amon announced, the crowd cheering louder in response.

"Seen enough yet?" Mako snarked towards Alex, who spared the Firebender an eyeroll.

"Yeah, I have." he said, pointing to the wall to their left. "See those machines?" He asked, getting nods from the other two. "Their powered by steam. I need you two to cause a distraction, then I'll swoop in with my cables and get Bolin out of there." He told them.

"Works for me." Korra nodded.

"Me too." Mako agreed. Before they separated, he gave his friend a concerned look. "Be careful." He said worriedly.

"Will do." the Metalbender grinned and walked forward, getting closer to the crowd while Mako and Korra headed towards the steam machines.

Fast as he could without arousing any suspicion, Alex made his way to an area in the crowd where he could swing in on his cables. By the time he'd found the perfect place, Amon had already removed the Bending from three of the five Benders, and was starting on the fourth. Alex was starting to get worried that Korra and Mako had gotten caught.

"Come on guys, come on!" He begged under his breath one of the Chi-blockers finally untied Bolin and pushed onto the stage. Amon started approaching the boy, only for the explosion of steam to catch his attention. "Nice." Alex grinned as steam filled the entire warehouse. As the crowd screamed in fear, Alex shot one of his cables at the railings attached to the roof and swung towards the stage. He quickly grabbed Bolin and swung behind the stage, landing in a crouch and dropping Bolin on his ass. "You OK Bolin?" He asked, pulling his hood down.

"Alex! Yes! I love you Brother!" Bolin cheered with tears in his eyes as he stood up.

"We gotta go!" Alex said urgently.

"Oh! Right! Let's bolt!" Bolin agreed. With that they took off.

* * *

After managing to get out of the warehouse, Alex and Bolin were caught by Amon's right hand man, the Lieutenant. They tried to fight him off, Bolin with his signature Earth Disks and Alex with his signature lava shuriken. Alex's Lavabending threw the Lieutenant off a little, but he was able to recover from the surprise and managed to deliver a shock to both Earthbenders with his electrifying kali sticks.

He was about to tie them up and deliver them to Amon, but Korra and Mako intervened, giving Alex and Bolin enough time to recover and get up. The managed to incapacitate the Lieutenant by trapping him in the wall with Earthbending, before taking off. Mako and Korra were on Naga's back, Bolin was hanging by his shirt from Naga's mouth, and Alex rode one of his Earth Ramps. He heard Amon telling his henchman to let them go, saying that they would be the perfect messengers.

Anyways, after dropping Mako and Bolin and their home, Alex and Korra went their separate ways. Korra went to tell Tenzin about Amon, and Alex, begrudgingly, went to inform his mother. When he arrived at Police Headquarters, the first thing did was head to his mother's office. He knocked and entered without waiting for a response.

The events that followed were… unpleasant.

" **WHERE. HAVE. YOU. BEEN!?"** Lin demanded of her son as he entered her office.

"Hang on, let me get my hearing back." Alex cleaned his ears out with his pinky.

"You think now is a time to joke!?" Lin roared in fury as she glared at him. One thing Alex prides himself on is that he doesn't fear his mother the way other employees do. Still, the way she's acting now is a little unsettling.

"No, it's not." Alex shook his head. "To answer your question, I was at an Equalist rally." he told her, making her stop. "They kidnapped Bolin." He added, giving her a reason as to why he was there before she even asked.

"Didn't you cut those two brats off?" Lin asked, crossing her arms with a glare. She couldn't arrest Mako and Bolin back then because they didn't really do anything illegal. Sure, they ran numbers for the Triple Threats and stole, but if she arrested every street urchin who stole to survive, the jails would bursting at the seams. Literally.

"We reconciled a few weeks ago, but that's besides the point." Alex waved the subject off. "The point is, I saw Amon." He said, making his mother's eyes widen.

"What?" She gasped. She's been trying to get intel on that man for weeks.

"That's not the biggest part." Alex grimaced as he remembered what he saw. "He has the ability to take people's Bending away." he reported grimmly.

"Impossible! Only the Avatar has that ability!" Lin retorted, not quite believing her son's words.

"I saw it with my own two eyes." Alex shot back. "If you don't believe me, Korra, Bolin, and Mako will vouch. Heck, if you can find Shady Shin or lightning Bolt Zolt, even better! They were victims!" Alex crossed his arms.

Lin wasn't sure what to believe. Despite the strained relationship she had with her son, he's never let her down when it comes to a case, or the safety of the city. She knew without a doubt he was _the_ finest Officer and Detective that she had on the Force, not that she'd admit it to his face. But, this? A Non-Bender having the ability to take a person's Bending away? It was unfathomable!

"If what you say is true, then Amon's little Revolution isn't so little anymore." She said, clenching her fists in uncertainty. "It just got a whole lot more dangerous." She whispered to herself.

"More than we know." Alex agreed. "No Bender is safe." He whispered grimmly, looking out of the window, seeing Air Temple Island.

* * *

 **Whew! This one was tiring, I'll give you that! I may have gotten it done pretty quickly, but that's only because I stayed up all night due to insomnia about three times this week. :P**

 **Hey! Fun fact! In Highschool DxD, the 72 Pillars were named after the 72 Demons commanded by King Solomon in the Bible. 'Amon' is the name of one of these Demons! I checked, and there's actually a house in the Underworld called the 'House of Amon' in DxD! How funny is that?**

 **It's actually putting ideas in my head… Noatak Amon... Joins the Khaos Brigade… Preaching Equality for those who have no Demonic Power… Can take Demonic Power away… Actually has a lot of Demonic Power…**

 **Nope! Stopping right there. I do NOT need more story ideas in my head.**


	7. The Voice in the Night

"You OK Korra?" Alex asked as he and the Avatar went through some of the Metalbending stances together. It's been a few days since they rescued Bolin from the Equalists, and the pair were having one of their usual Metalbending lessons in the evening. The Detective noticed that Korra seemed out of it; bags under her eyes, and her movements were slightly sloppy.

"Yeah, why?" Korra asked, a little confused by the out of the blue question.

"You just seem a little out of it is all." Alex told her as they dropped their stances. "You need to talk?" he asked in concern, getting closer to her.

"Thanks Alex, but I'm fine, really." Korra assured her friend with the best smile she could manage. Alex still wasn't convinced, but he let the matter drop. After all, if Korra needed to talk, she would, right?

…

Sometimes, he forgets who he's talking about….

" _Good Evening, my fellow Equalists."_ A familiar, chilling voice suddenly came from the radio, making Korra and Alex stiffen as they recognised the Equalist Leader's voice. _"This is your Leader, Amon. As you have heard, the Republic Council has voted to make me Public Enemy #1, proving once again that the Bending oppressors of Republic City will stop at nothing to squash our Revolution."_ He spoke in a bitter tone.

" _But we cannot be stopped."_ He continued. _"Our numbers grow stronger by the day. You no longer have to live in fear."_ For a moment, he actually sounded like a good guy to Alex. _"The time has come for Benders to experience fear."_ There's the scornful hiss he was looking for…

With that, the radio sizzled into static for a moment before going back to the music station.

Korra and Alex stood there for an unknown number of minutes before the Metalbender noticed how the Avatar was sweating. There were bullets of her sweat dripping down her forehead and cheeks, and her eyes were wide. Alex noted that she didn't just look scared, she looked _terrified._

In hopes of seeing that she was Ok, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Korra? You OK?" He asked softly.

"Ah!" Korra yelped, jumping away from him, breathing heavily.

"Whoa! Korra!" The Metalbender quickly put his hands up. "It's me!" he said loudly, snapping the Avatar from her daze.

"Wha? Alex?" Korra asked, shaking her head and placing a hand on her forehead.

"Korra... " Alex whispered, getting a little closer to her. "You sure you're ok?" No matter what she said, he believed wholeheartedly that she _wasn't_ OK.

"Yeah… Listen… I… I gotta go.' Korra said breathlessly and ran off, leaving a very worried Alex alone in the yard.

* * *

Alex, deciding to give Korra some space, spent the rest of the evening exercising and honing his skills. True, he was considered to be one of the most powerful Earthbenders in the City, maybe even in the Earth Kingdom, but what he had witnessed several days prior unsettled him. Thus, he wanted to be absolutely sure that he'd be ready for anything.

He saw Amon's power first hand and, as much as it pained him to admit it, he was impressed. Removing people's Bending? That takes some major brainwork, and a whole lot of luck. Alex didn't buy that whole 'the Spirits chose me' story for one second. There were plenty of people who had their lives turned upside down by Benders. Why would the Spirits choose Amon of all people?

Something smells fishy, and one way or another, Alex would find out what.

Having finished his work out routine, he made his way to the guest room he was using at Air Temple Island. After some convincing, he'd managed to get his mother to assign him as a guard of sorts to the Airbender family. Besides, Lin wanted to assign someone to keep an eye on Korra anyway, so they're killing two birds with one stone. Lin gets any out of the ordinary intel concerning the Avatar, and Alex feels better with the Airbender kids and Korra closer to him.

After getting to his borrowed room, he washed himself off slightly to get rid of the sweat that covered him and changed into his usual casual outfit before heading to the dinner table.

"Hey all." Alex greeted as he entered, finding Tenzin and his wife finishing up with setting the table.

"Alex, glad to see you made it." Pema smiled her radiant smile at the boy, showing him to his seat. He noticed that he sat next to Korra at the table.

"Alex!" Ikki squealed happily, jumping up. "Can I sit with Alex to Mommy?" She asked her mother hopefully.

"Hey! I wanna sit by Alex." Jinora pouted.

"No! My General sits next to his commanding officer!" Meelo declared in an authoritative tone.

"Wow…" Korra deadpanned. "I knew the kids liked you Alex, but this is a bit much." She remarked, making Alex sigh in exasperation.

"Alright, enough!" Pema spoke up in a stern tone. "Ikki, you're on Alex's lap. Meelo and Jinora on either side of him." She instructed.

"Yay!" the two girls cheered in unison as Meelo sat beside his 'General' with a satisfied smile.

"Sorry if I'm causing trouble Pema." Alex gave the woman an apologetic look.

"Think nothing of it Alex." Pema giggled in amusement at the sight of her children crawling all over the boy. "I'm glad that they are so fond of you. They have someone look up to." She smiled brightly.

"Hey!" Tenzin snapped with an offended look.

"You heard her." Alex sent the Airbending Master a wide, teasing grin, making his eye twitch. To the side, Korra couldn't help but giggle. _"At least she seems better now."_ The Metalbender thought to himself.

"Continuing…" Tenzin sighed as everyone was seated. Following the demands of the Air Nomad tradition, he said the prayers before anybody ate. "We are grateful for this delicious food, for happiness, for compassion and-"

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" a masculine voice piped up. The owner of the voice was man, no doubt Water Tribe judging by the decent, semi-formal clothing. And he had similar hair and eyes to Korra.

"This is my home, Tarrlok. We are about to eat dinner." Tenzin responded, giving the man a frown.

" _Tarrlok huh?"_ Alex asked mentally. _"The Councilman that Tenzin is always saying opposes every one of his motions, and vice versa."_ He remembered. He also remembered Tenzin saying how Tarrlok was a pompous, power-hungry ass, but he seemed nice enough.

"Good, because I am absolutely famished. Airbenders never turn away a hungry guest, am I right?" Tarrlok asked with a smirk.

" _Nope, he's an ass."_ Alex deadpanned in his head. Best not to let a Councilman hear his personal opinion of them, especially when they're like this guy...

"I suppose." Tenzin sighed and sat down, noticing the dirty look his wife was giving him. All he could do was shrug in response as Tarrlok stopped next to the young Avatar.

"Ah, you must be the famous Avatar Korra." The Councilman gave Korra a light bow. "It is truly an honor. I am councilman Tarrlok, representative of the Northern Water Tribe." he introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you." Korra responded, standing up and returning the bow before sitting down again.

"Why do you have three ponytails? And how come you smell like a lady? You're weird." Ikki said to Tarrlok from Alex's lap as the man took a seat beside Korra, earning eye twitch from him.

"Well aren't you... precocious." He said after a pause. "And quite the interrogator. Where did you learn that?" He asked. Ikki giggled and pointed at Alex with her thumb.

"Alex! He's the best cop ever!" She smiled brightly.

"Alex?" Tarrlok repeated with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps, Alexander Beifong? Son of Lin Beifong? Rumoured to be the best Detective on the Force? Known by the nickname Pseudo-Avatar?" He asked, sending Alex a questioning gaze.

"That would be me." Alex confirmed.

"Fascinating. I never expected you to be so young." Tarrlok confessed. "Tell me, where does the nickname 'Pseudo-Avatar' come from?" He inquired.

"Earthbending, Metalbending, Lavabending, and Sandbending." Alex answered.

"I see. Four aspects of the same Element." Tarrlok hummed in thought, his hand on his chin. "Pseudo-Avatar indeed." He said, turning to Korra. "So, I have been reading all about you in the papers. Infiltrating Amon's rally? Now that took some real initiative."

"Oh, thanks. I think you're the first authority figure in this city that is happy I'm here." Korra responded, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Ahem." Alex coughed into his fist, earning a sheepish apology from the Avatar.

"Regardless, Republic City is much better off now that you're here." Tarrlok continued.

"Enough with the flattery, Tarrlok." Tenzin spoke firmly. "What do you want from Korra?" He asked with a narrow glare.

"Patience Tenzin, I'm getting to that." Tarrlok held up a hand before turning back to Korra. "As you may have heard, I am assembling a task force that will strike at the heart of the revolution. And I want you to join me."

"Really? Korra asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"What?" Tenzin gasped.

" _Saw this coming."_ Alex thought bitterly, sending a faint glare in Tarrlok's direction.

"I need someone who will help me attack Amon directly. Someone who is fearless in the face of danger. And that someone... is you." he smiled at the young Avatar before turning to Alex. "And since you're here, I believe you'd also make an invaluable asset, Detective." He said. Alex narrowed his eyes in thought, staring at his food.

On one hand, joining this Task Force would help strike a blow to Amon's forces. That could be beneficial. On the other hand, is it a good idea? His current job was to guard the Airbender family and keep an eye on Korra. With Amon traipsing around the city, he didn't want any of the Airbender's out of his sight for longer than necessary. Tenzin being a notable exception; he's a Master, and has a day job. He can take care of himself. The kids can't.

"Join your task force? Sorry, I can't." Korra responded, shocking everyone, Alex not included. He had an inkling as to why she was refusing, but decided to keep quiet.

"Nor can I." he said simply.

"I... must admit that I'm... rather surprised." Tarrlok said quietly. "I thought the two of you would jump at the chance to help me lead the charge against Amon."

"Me too." Tenzin muttered in begrudging agreement.

"I came to Republic City to finish my Avatar training with Tenzin. Right now, I just need to focus on that." Korra explained calmly.

Alex rolled his internally. He didn't buy that little story for one moment. To put it simply, Korra was scared, and she was too proud to admit it. He could easily tell that she wasn't sleeping, either due to nightmares or just being unable to fall asleep, stemming from her fear. Still, whilst it wasn't a good idea to deny your fears like that, she was rejecting the 'offer,' and that was something at least.

"And your reasoning, Detective?" Tarrlok asked.

"My current assignment is to guard and protect the world's last Airbenders." Alex explained, wrapping an arm around Ikki's waist subconsciously, much to the girl's delight. "I can't keep these kids safe from Chi-Blocker attacks if I'm out there, taking the fight to them." he added. Pema couldn't help the wide smile that adorned her face.

Despite everything that happened between her and the boy's mother, Alex still cares for her own children like they were his little siblings. She loved how the three of them looked up to Alex like a big brother, and the way Alex was saying he'd protect them warmed her heart, even if it was an assignment.

"Fair enough." Tarrlok sighed in defeat before standing up. He knew better than to try and argue with an Earthbender, especially when they go Papa Platypus-Bear like that, or whatever one would call the relationship Alex has with the Airbender children. Plus, Chief Beifong's orders hold priority over his when it comes to the members of the Force. "Still, I'm not giving up on you yet." he said to Korra. "It has been a pleasure, Avatar Korra." he gave her a bow before making his way to the door. Before leaving, he spared Alex one last glance. "Detective." he saluted the boy.

"Councilman." Alex returned the salute. With that, Tarrlok left. But not before…

"Bye bye Ponytail Man!" Ikki waved, making Tarrlok's eye twitch as he walked. Alex couldn't help the snicker that escaped him as he gave Pema a teasing smirk.

"I still think you had affair with Bumi. It's the only explanation for these two." He said plainly as he pointed at Ikki and Meelo, making Pema's face light up in embarrassment at the implication. Tenzin, however, banged his head on the table in exasperation. This was not the first time Alex had made that joke, and something told the Airbending Master that it wouldn't be the last.

Well, at least Korra was laughing.

* * *

The next morning, Alex and Korra went outside to get some fresh air after sat on the porch, Naga in between them, laying on her back, asking for attention. Despite her size, she really was just an overgrown house dog. And what house dog doesn't enjoy getting their stomach scratched by his/her master?

"Korra, I know we spoke about this earlier, but you really don't seem like yourself these past few days. Are you sure you're alright?" Alex asked in an attempt to get Korra to acknowledge her fear.

"Yes, I'm fine Alex." Korra sighed in minor frustration. "I'm just a little stressed with the Airbending and all that." She assured him. "Not to mention Tarrlok wanting me on his little Task Force." She added.

"I see…" Alex mumbled softly. "Nothing else?" He asked with an eyebrow raised. "I mean, I get that training can be stressful, and constant pestering from Tarrlok is unpleasant, but-"

"Would you just drop it!" Korra snapped, shocking Alex. Seeing what she did, she sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for shouting, but I really don't wanna talk about this, alright?" She said with finality in her tone.

"Alright, alright." Alex sighed. He'll drop the subject, for now,

"Hello fellow Earthbenders!" The voice of a certain, bubbly young Earthbender suddenly greeted. Korra and Alex turned and saw Bolin approaching them with his hands behind his back and a wide smile on his face.

"Hey Bro." Alex greeted with a smile.

"Hey Bolin." Korra's greeting was significantly less enthusiastic.

"Missed you at practice this week." Bolin pointed out as he stood in front of his friends.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Korra apologised.

"Nah, it's alright." The young Earthbender shrugged. "We're probably out of the tournament anyway. Unless some money miraculously drops from the sky by tomorrow." His tone went from bubbly and cheerful to depressed and annoyed. "Anyways, reason I came by was to give you this. Tada~" he smiled, revealing what was behind his back; a rose and a wrapped cupcake. Alex recognised it as one the treats from the Republic City Bakery. Best in the city.

"Wow, thanks." Korra said as she accepted the gifts. "What's this for?"

"Ah, I can't remember now. Oh yeah, now I remember!" Boln went from confused(probably fake) to perky and smiley. "You saved me from Amon!" he exclaimed with a wide smile..

"Oh, that. It was no big deal." Korra waved him off dismissively.

"No big deal? Are you serious?" Bolin asked incredulously. "I was totally freaking out when he was coming at me with his creepy mask all 'I'm gonna take away your bending forever' and stuff." He mimicked Amon's voice. "I mean, that was scary stuff. I still can't sleep well." he gave a slight shiver.

" _Oh Bolin, you stupid, lovable idiot."_ Alex sighed heavily as the younger earthbender spoke. The Detective could see Korra paling slightly at Bolin's words. It was clear to him that her fear was much deeper than he thought, and she still wouldn't admit it. He's gonna have to dig a lot deeper if he wants to get her to open up...

"Delivery for Avatar Korra." An unknown old lady said as she approached. She carried a large, no seriously, it was LARGE, gift basket, which she set down next to Korra. "Tarrlok sends his compliments and urges you to reconsider his offer." She said politely.

"Tell him I haven't changed my mind." Korra responded in an annoyed tone. The old lady, Tarrlok's secretary, bowed with a nod and left.

"Who's this Tarrlok guy?" Bolin asked, his curious expression turning to one of frustration a certain thoughts came into his head. "Is he bothering you? Huh? Cos' I could have a word with him. Let him know a thing or two and what not."

"Believe me Bro, i'd have done the same long ago if I could." Alex deadpanned, making Korra chuckle.

"Don't worry, it's not like that Bolin. He's just some old guy who works with Tenzin in the council." She explained.

"Wants Korra to join his little Task Force." Alex added.

"Oh good, good, that sounds better. I like that better." Bolin said thoughtfully. Damn. looks like he can't 'have a word' with Tarrlok if he's on the Council.

* * *

Ok, at first it was just a little annoying for the occupants of Air Temple Island. Now, a week later, Tarrlok's gifts were getting frustrating to the point that Korra would burn them. He sent her a cake from the RC bakery, she fed it to Naga. He sent her a beautiful dress, she burnt it and threw the remains in the river. He sent her a Satomobile, she left the Airbender kids to play with it. No doubt it would be scrap metal later anyway.

"Avatar Korra, I have something for you." Tarrlok's secretary said as she approached the Avatar and Detective. Korra was sitting on the railings just outside the Air Temple, while Alex was playing Pai Sho with Jinora on the outdoor Pai Sho table.

"It doesn't matter how many gifts Tarrlok sends, I'm not joining his task force!" Korra growled at the old lady, Earthbending the ground beneath her around 180 degrees and kicking her away.

"It's not a gift, it's an invitation." The secretary corrected, pulling out a letter.

"To what?" Korra asked in hesitant curiosity.

"Tarrlok is throwing a Gala in your honor." The secretary explained. "All of Republic City's movers and shakers will be there. The councilman humbly requests your attendance. He also says that the young Detective is welcome as well." she added as Korra swiped the invitation. She was about to refuse, but Alex spoke up.

"It might be a good idea." He said, standing up from the table. "A good opportunity to make it clear that you won't be joining his little Task Force." Korra thought his words over. It would be nice to get tarrlok off her back. Maybe now is a good time to just put her foot down.

* * *

"Wow, I can't believe this is all for me." Korra said as she, Alex and the Airbender family entered the City hall, awed by the lovely gala that Tarrlok had arranged.

The gala took place at Republic City's City Hall, and it was simply beautiful. A crystal chandelier hanging from the roof, multiple tables with various fancy foods, and more drinks than some people knew existed. It was clear that Tarrlok had spared no expense when organising this event, no doubt in hopes of swooning Korra over into his Task Force. Still, despite the doubtlessly hidden scheme behind the gala, it really was quite lovely.

Since it was a formal event, Korra agreed with Alex's suggestion of going in formal clothes. She donned a simple dark blue dress, which was beautiful at the same time, with her hair mostly down, tied into a bun at the back of her head. Alex wore his usual Detective armour, though he removed the trench coat for the night. Metalbender armour was made to be formal and practical, so he didn't have to wear any tight, uncomfortable suits. Thank the Spirits.

"You look nice in that dress Korra." Alex complimented the young Avatar with a charming smile that made Korra's heart flutter.

"Thanks…" She mumbled, looking away with a faint blush. "I like your hair." She returned the compliment.

"Thanks." Alex grinned at her. Sure enough, he'd done his hair to make himself look presentable in the formal event. Normally, his dark grey hair was left down, hanging just barely below his ears, not unlike the former Fire Lord Zuko back in his adolescence, a style Alex picked up after meeting the great man several years back. For the gala though, he neatened it up and pulled it back into a formal, Earth Kingdom miniature ponytail. Long story short, he looked like any girl's dream boy; the knight in shining armour. Literally.

"I'm not sure what Tarrlok's plotting, but keep your guard up you two." Tenzin warned the teenagers as his family went their separate ways to enjoy the gala. "It's not like him to throw a party just for the fun of it." He added. Alex and Korra nodded in understanding.

"I am so glad you could make it, Avatar Korra." Tarrlok greeted, just as Tenzin finished speaking. "If you'll excuse us, the city waits its hero." Tarrlok said to Tenzin and Alex, walking off with Korra.

Alex definitely didn't like the subtle smirk that Tarrlok put on as he walked with Korra. Since he couldn't interfere, as this was an official event, he decided to just tour around the place a little, accepting handshakes and greetings from people who recognised him from the papers and rumors. Several of the prissy, rich girls attempted to sink their claws into him with sweet words mixed with a hint of seduction, but Alex, as politely as he could, rejected them all, much to their chagrin.

After perusing around a for little while, Alex caught sight of someone he didn't expect to see at this event: Mako. However, the most surprising part was the familiar beauty that was holding onto his arm as Mako seemed to be delivering some good news to Korra. There was also a middle aged man with them in very formal and fancy robes, also familiar to Alex.

" _Wonder what they're doing here?"_ He asked himself mentally as he approached. "A small world, wouldn't you agree?" He asked with an amused smile.

"Detective Beifong?" Hiroshi Sato asked in a surprised tone. "I was not expecting to see you here Young Man. good to see you." he smiled, shaking the Detective's hand.

"Likewise Hiroshi." Alex responded with a smile. "Asmai, lovely as ever I see." He greeted the young girl.

"Hello Alex." Asami giggled in amusement.

"You know each other?" Mako asked suspiciously.

"Hiroshi was a witness in a docking raid some time ago. I worked the case." Alex explained.

"I very nearly lost an entire shipment of Satomobiles headed for Ba Sing Se." Hiroshi recalled with a light laugh.

"Who were the perps?" Korra asked in curiosity, finding herself not liking the familiarity that Alex had with the young rich girl.

"A group of Red Monsoons." Alex answered.

"Hmm…" Korra hummed in response.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Alex asked Mako and Asami with a grin. They blushed at his suggestive wag of his eyebrows.

"Well, we… uhm…" Mako stammered, not able to form a coherent sentence.

"They're dating!" Bolin piped up, appearing out of nowhere and disappearing just as soon as he came.

"Wow! How did this happen?" The Metalbender asked with a wide smile, happy to see Mako with a nice girl.

"Asami crashed into him on her moped." And like before, Bolin was gone just as soon as he came.

"Really?" Alex asked with a deadpanned glance to Asami, who blushed in embarrassment.

"It was an accident!" She whined.

"What?" Mako asked in confusion.

"That's how she and I met." Alex explained, still staring at Asamai with a deadpan stare. "I stopped by the Sato Mansion to interview Hiroshi about the aforementioned raid, and when I was done, I left. Only to be run over as she entered the driveway." He smirked as Asami's cheeks went red as the dress she was wearing.

"That aside, are you ok Mako?" Korra asked her fellow Fire Ferret in concern.

"I'm fine. More than fine, actually." Mako grinned widely. "Mr. Sato agreed to sponsor our team. We're back in the game!" He said said excitedly.

"Isn't that great!?" Bolin asked with a wide grin, draping an arm around Mako..

"Yeah, terrific." Korra mumbled, her eyes trailing off to the side. A scowl made its way to her face as she noticed someone. Alex noticed this particular someone and groaned internally as the woman approached.

"Chief Beifong, I believe you and the Avatar have already met." Tarrlok said to the Chief of Police, who glared at Avatar full force.

"Just because this city's throwing you a party, don't think you're someone special. You've done absolutely nothing to deserve this." She growled in Korra's face.

"Enough, Mother." Alex stated firmly, stepping in between Lin and Korra. It was at this point that Korra noticed just how alike the two are. Alex walks with his hands behind his back, like Lin, he carries himself with confidence, like Lin, and he has the same glare. Korra also noticed how similar Alex's armour was to his mother's. Only his didn't have any of the gold accents.

Lin glared at her son. She could easily tell that Alex was growing close to the Avatar, and she didn't like that one bit. With a scowl, she walked away, no doubt plotting how to get that hussy of an Avatar away from her son.

Said son could only sigh in exasperation and a little depression as his mother walked away. He knew Lin didn't get on with Korra very well, and despite their relationship, she did show protectiveness over him when it came to the female species, but Korra did not deserve the treatment that the Chief of Police was giving her. He couldn't help but fear what was going through his mother's mind right now...

* * *

After about an hour or so in the little party, Tarrlok escorted Korra to the staircase, where they could see all of the guests, and prepared for him to present her to the aforementioned guests. However, before either of them could say a word, a swarm of reporters surrounded them, asking questions. Alex narrowed his eyes at Tarrlok in a glare. Reporters aren't allowed in events like this without consent from the host. As such, every single one of these reporters had to have gotten individual permission from said host, who happened to be none other than Tarrlok. He's a dead man.

"Avatar Korra!" One of the reporters piped up. "You witnessed Amon take away people's bending first hand. How serious a threat does he pose to the innocent citizens of Republic City?"

Korra cleared her throat. "I think he presents a real problem." She responded.

"Then why have you refused to join Tarrlok's task force? As the Avatar, shouldn't you be going after Amon?" That same reporter asked.

"Well... I-"

"Why are you walking away from this fight?" Another reporter cut the young Avatar off.

"What? No! I've never backed away from anything in my life!" Korra defended.

"You promised to serve this city, are you going back on that promise now?"

"Do you think Pro-bending is more important than fighting the revolution?"

"How do you think Avatar Aang would have handled this?"

"Are you afraid of Amon?"

Alex couldn't help but facepalm. _"Fuck."_ He mentally cursed.

"I am not afraid of anybody!" Korra shouted in denial before calming her posture. "If this city needs me, then... Then I'll join Tarrlok's task force and help fight Amon." Her voice was one of surrender.

Tarrlok smirked. "There's your headline folks!" He announced, draping an arm around Korra's shoulders, posing for one of the cameramen. Tenzin slumped, his eyes closed in defeat as Alex glared daggers at Tarrlok.

This was not going to end well...

* * *

The next week was not pleasant in the slightest. Korra spent most, of not all, of her time with Tarrlok and his Task Force, which left little time for anything else. There was no Pro-Bending practice, no Airbending training, no Metalbending lessons, and she was hardly ever home in time for dinner. The only good thing that came out of this was that the Task Force was able to take down several Equalist settlements, the most recent of which was found underneath a bookstore. They trained new Chi-Blockers there.

However, everything went downhill at the small conference that followed, where the Task Force's progress in taking down Amon was discussed. Tarrlok insisted that with him and Korra leading the charge, Republic City had nothing to worry about. Then, one of the reporters asked why Amon had not been captured yet. The response Korra gave was a calling out to Amon, where she declared him a coward and challenged him to a one on one duel.

As if things couldn't get any worse…

* * *

"WHAT!?" Alex roared, outraged, as Pema came to his room, explaining what Korra had done.

"She challenged Amon to one on one fight." The pregnant woman reported grimmly. "Please Alex, you have to-" Pema stopped talking, noticing Alex was no longer in the room. The only indication that he was even there to begin with was the door that was left open.

* * *

"Korra!" Alex shouted as he approached the dock leading to Aang memorial island. Korra was mounting a small boat, Tenzin and Tarrlok behind her, having failed to talk the young Avatar out of the foolish task she was about to take. "What the hell are you doing?!" he demanded of her.

"I'm going to face Amon." Korra replied as if it was the most obvious thing ever.

"Are you insane?!" Alex screamed.

"What else am I supposed to do!?" Korra shot back.

"Wait! Think! Plan! Anything but this idiotic idea!"

"You calling me an idiot!?" She hissed.

"In this context, yes!" Alex growled. "You have no idea what Amon has up his sleeve! Who's to say he'll honour the one on one proposal? There are better ways to deal with your fears!" Something snapped inside Korra at that.

"I'm not afraid!" She shrieked in rage.

"Yes you are!" Alex roared. "You're fucking petrified! But you're too proud and stubborn to admit it! Denying your fears doesn't make you strong, it makes you look weak!"

"Shut up!" Korra screeched. "I'm the Avatar! I'm gonna deal with Amon MY way!" They glared daggers at each other before Korra huffed and turned away, readying the boat.

"You know what? Fine." Alex growled. "Get your bending stolen. Just don't come crying to me." He turned to walk away as Korra shot off with the boat.

"Alexander! You can't seriously be considering leaving Korra to the monster!" Tenzin said incredulously.

"I'm not considering it, I'm doing it." Alex returned.

"Detective, even if you and Korra are clearly at odds at this moment, are you really willing to risk her getting her Bending stolen?" Tarrlok asked skeptically. He didn't like the temper Alex was showing.

"Shut it." Alex hissed. "You have no right to talk. You're the reason korra's doing this in the first place." He regarded Tarrlok with a death glare. Tenzin noticed it was the same ball shriveling glare that Lin has. The memories made him shiver.

"This was not what I wanted." Tarrlok at the very least had the decency to look abashed at his actions.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Alex huffed, turning to leave again, his trench coat flaring.

"Alex..." Tenzin pleaded.

"What do you want me to do Tenzin?" Alex asked in frustration. "Korra clearly doesn't want my help. I can't give it if she won't accept it." He reminded.

"Amon is a cunning, scheming, and dangerous person." The Airbending Master returned. "It doesn't matter what Korra wants. If she faces him now, she will lose." He pressed.

"You're the only one of us who can go against a Chi-Blocker." Tarrlok added. Alex clenched his fist in uncertainty. Sure, he was mad at Korra; pissed beyond anything right now. Ut, he still cared about her. In the two months since they've known each other, she'd quite easily become the best friend he'd ever had, right up there with Mako and Bolin. Could he really leave her in Amon's hands?

"Fine." Alex relented, turning once more and walking towards the beach that faced Aang Memorial Island.

Tenzin beamed. "I'll get a boat for you." He said.

"Don't bother." Alex stopped him as he stood on the beach sand. Before Tenzin could asked, the young Metalbender took a soft stance that seemed foreign to Earthbending.

The Airbender gasped as Alex started moving. He was light on his feet, his arms flowing with his body as he made several spiral like movements. They were uncannily similar to how Jinora would move through the spinning gates. As the Detective moved, tendrils of the beach sand started flowing around his body in spirals.

"It looks like he's…" Tarrlok trailed off with wide eyes.

"Airbending…" Tenzin finished or him in a breath.

Of course, Alex was really Airbending, he was Sandbending. He discovered that Sandbending was made much easier this way around two years ago, and had asked Jinora to give him some pointers. They both agreed that they should keep it from Tenzin, as he hates it when people mock Airbending, and there was no telling how he'd react to Alex's new Sandbending.

Anyways, the Detective thrust his arm forward, sending the sand towards the water, where it compressed and formed a thin, but strong, bridge of sand, about a foot wide, all the way over to the island. With determination in his eyes, he sprinted across the bridge he'd made, the sand crumbling with every step he took. It was magnificent sight, seeing him out run the crumbling bridge.

"He truly is a Prodigy…" Tarrlok murmured under his breath, shock evident in his voice.

"Just like his mother…" And for once, the two Councilmen agreed on something.

* * *

About an hour had passed since midnight, the time Korra had allocated in her challenge to Amon, and the man was nowhere in sight.

"I guess you're a no-show, Amon." Korra observed boredly, having sat down in front of Aang's statue for over an hour. "Who's scared now?" She snarked, getting up to leave.

As the Avatar walked across the museum's entrance, a whip shot out and gripped her around her knees, pulling her into the dark building. Thinking quickly, Korra used her Firebending to get rid of the whip, which succeeded in freeing her legs, as well as illuminating the room, showing around 20 - 30 Equalist grunts surrounding her. She was about to attack, but was quickly restrained by two whips being thrown at her wrists. Korra tried to fight back, bending with her legs, but a couple of Chi-blockers jumped behind her, immobilising her and leaving her barely conscious, held up by the whips.

At that point, Amon approached.

"I received your invitation, young Avatar." He spoke with a low and monotone voice that scared Korra to know end. The Equalist Leader lifted up his right and moved it towards her face.

The young Avatar was absolutely terrified. The object of her nightmare was standing right in front of her, about to take her Bending. Alex was right. She made a stupid mistake coming here tonight, and it was going to cost her. And no one was coming.

"Hey! Mask-face!" Everyone in the room, Amon included, turned their attention to the owner of the voice; a young man wearing black armour, a trench coat over it, and hard glare on his face. "Let. Her. Go." He hissed.

The Equalist leader stood up straight and faced the newcomer. "Hm, Detective Alexander Beifong." He observed. "I must admit, I did not expect you to show up." He confessed. "Although, I suppose I cannot be too surprised. You share a similar title to her after all." Amon said, gesturing to Korra. "Equalists, bring me the Psuedo-Avatar." he ordered the grunts, who sprung to work.

Three of the Equalists shot towards the young Earthbender, who simply narrowed his eyes. As the aforementioned grunts jumped, they suddenly stopped in mid air, shocking everyone in the room. With a simple flick of his neck, Alex sent the three flying into the wall, knocked unconscious. Amon himself was shocked beyond anything as another group, bigger this time in hopes of overwhelming the Earthbender, jumped towards Alex. Just like the ones before, they ended up unconscious after being thrown into the wall.

"How are you doing this?" Amon demanded in a deathly calm tone.

Alex smirked. "Did you know that the human body contains multiple minerals and metals that are bendable?" He asked casually, making Amon's eyes wden behind the mask. "The most abundant of which are Carbon and Calcium. Together they make up 22% of the human body." He grinned wickedly. "It's nothing compared to the 70% of the body that's made up of water, which Bloodbenders take control of, but it's enough for me to toss someone around like a ragdoll." he finished with an evil glint in his eyes. "I call it Bodybending."

The remaining grunts took a few weary steps back. Sure, they'd been trained to fight all three kinds of Benders, but no one knew how to fight off a Bloodbender, so this 'Bodybending' the Detective was describing shook them up a little. Even Amon. He'd never dreamed that anyone other than a Bloodbender could control the human body. And without an external source of power like the moon or sun? Sure, Yakone was a notable exception, but this Earthbender was an enigma, something that could not be taken lightly.

"Now, get away from my friend." Alex said, glaring daggers. Amon returned the glare slightly before reverting his gaze back to Korra, who was still being held up, just barely conscious of the events happening before her.

"Our showdown, while inevitable, is premature." He told the young woman. "Although it would be the simplest thing to take away your bending right now, I won't. You would only become a martyr. Benders of every nation would rally behind your demise, evidently." He spared Alex a sideways glance. "But I assure you, I have a plan. And I'm saving you for the last. Then, you'll get your duel, and I will destroy you." he forewarned before looking back at Alex. "As for you, Detective, your duel will be much sooner than Korra's. Do not think for one moment that your little trick can save you from me." He threatened. "When next we meet, I _will_ take your Bending, and it will be the end of the 'Pseudo-Avatar' title you seem to be so proud of." Alex glared as Amon's henchmen carried off the unconscious ones and vanished into the darkness. Amon followed soon after, leaving Korra knocked out on the ground.

"Korra!" Alex cried in worry as he ran to the down Avatar. He supported with his arms, checking her pulse to make sure she was Ok. Thankfully, she was. Amon had followed through on his statement that he wouldn't harm her. "Come on Korra, wake up…" Alex whispered softly, shaking the unconscious girl awake. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open.

"A-Alex?" She asked softly, her voice shaky.

"Shh… It's OK, I'm here." he said soothingly.

"W-why you c-come?" Korra stammered, her shoulders shaking faintly.

"What do you mean why?" Ale asked in confusion. "You're my friend. Of course I'd come."

"But… you were so angry… you said…" Korra choke back a sob.

"I know what I said. I was angry, still am. But right now, I'm just glad you're safe." Alex held her close. Korra lost it. She burst into tears, clutching Alex's coat as she buried her face in his armour-clad chest.

"You were right!" She cried. "I was so scared! I felt so helpless!" Tears ran down her cheeks as her emotions came crashing down on her. "I don't know what to do… I never want to feel like that again…" Korra said, still sobbing.

"It's alright Korra." Alex held her. "We'll work this out together. Right now, I promise, I won't let anything happen to you." Apparently, his soothing words were just what Korra needed. He'd never been one for emotional communication, much like his mother, so he was afraid he'd say something wrong. It was a great relief for him when Korra's sobs were reduced to faint trembling and whimpers.

The young Detective stood up, holding Korra bridal style, and made his way to the exit. Any other day, Korra would have resisted. She hated being treated like a dainty little girl who needs to be watched every second. But right now, she felt safe. Safe in Alex's arms. And she didn't want to let go of that feeling anytime soon. Plus, she barely noticed the way he was carrying her anyway. She was too shaken and tired. By the time Tenzin had approached, she was already asleep.

"Alexander, what…" The Airbender trailed off, seeing Alex approaching with the sleeping form of Korra in his arms. "Happened?" he finished, his voice riddled in confusion. It was only when Alex was right beside him that he noticed the faint blush of embarrassment on the Metalbender's face. Tenzin grinned despite the situation. Time for some payback for the affair joke.

"Not. One. Word." Alex hissed, seeing the grin on Tenzin's face. Just for a little insurance that Tenzin would not tease him, he brought a spike of earth up from the ground that stopped just short of the Airbender's crotch. "Unless you want your fourth child to be your last." He grinned wickedly, seeing Tenzin pale.

Yes, Alex is most definitely Lin Beifong's son.

* * *

 **And finally, we're done! God, this chapter took forever. I do apologise for my lack of updates lately. It's just that I recently started watching some old shows from my past(including AtLA and LoK from beginning to end) and I got kinda caught up in binge watching. :P Plus, I'm still looking for work. It's a nightmare.**

 **Anyways, tell me what you think of the Bodybending. I figured it would be better than Bonebending, because Calcium only takes up 2% of the human body. I figured, since Earthbenders can bend coal, which is almost 100% Carbon, why wouldn't they be able to at least lift something that's around 20% carbon?**

 **BTW, suggestions, requests, and all that are accepted with my stories. If there's something you want to see happen in the story, I'd definitely consider it.**

 **Oh! Who else agrees that it would make sense if it turned out Pema had an affair with Bumi? Ikki and Meelo are too much like him for it to be a coincidence.**


	8. Feelings

It's been a few weeks since Korra's run in with Amon, and things have been Ok for the young Avatar. She was incredibly shaken up after the encounter, but she's recovered for the most part. With her leave of absence from the Task Force, she found more time for Airbending, Metalbending, and Pro-Bending practice. Alex was relieved that Korra didn't seem to remember the reveal of his Bodybending skill. He didn't want that coming out just yet. He wasn't sure how people like Katara or even his mother would react. Hence why he kept the development of this particular skill a secret. Add to that the fact that it's still incomplete, and leaves considerable strain on his body, he really wanted it to stay hidden for now.

Anyway, we find ourselves in Mako and Bolin's apartment. After a good practice and a motivating team huddle up, as well as getting their new uniforms from Asami, the Fire Ferrets went their separate ways. Of course, not without Bolin trying to ask Korra out. Unfortunately, he was unable to even ask because Korra told him she had to be at the temple for some Airbending training. Which leads to the current situation; Bolin bathing his pet in their apartment while thinking of Korra.

"So Mako, what do you think of Korra?" He asked his brother, who was cooking.

"Well, she's nice." Mako shrugged, putting some seasoning in the pan. "She's a great athlete, a good Avatar and an awesome friend. Why do you ask?"

"Oh no reason." Bolin waved him off dismissively.

Mako stopped cooking for a moment and gave his brother a calculative stare. He saw where this was going. "Surely you're not thinking about asking her out?" he asked hesitantly.

"What's wrong with that?" Bolin asked in defense, making his big brother sigh.

"Nothing, I just don't think she's really girlfriend material." Mako answered.

"Bro, you're nuts! Korra and I are perfect for each other! She's strong, I'm strong. She's fun, I'm fun. She's pretty, I'm gorgeous!" Bolin insisted.

"I wouldn't be too sure Bo." Mako warned, remembering something he's noticed since meeting Korra. "Even if you do ask her out, I don't think she'll say yes."

"Why wouldn't she?" Bolin asked, offended.

"I think she has a thing for Alex." Mako reasoned, going back to his cooking.

"You're kidding?" Bolin gasped with wide eyes.

"I kid you not. And I think he likes her too."

"Come on! What does Alex have that I don't?"

"You really don't want me to answer that…"

"Yes, yes I do."

"Alright then." Mako sighed. "Alex is the best Detective in Republic City, he's known as the most handsome guy in the city, he's known Korra longer than either of us, and he's training Korra in Metalbending." He listed.

"Wait, he's teaching her to Metalbend!?" Bolin asked, hurt by that fact. "He never offered to teach me…" He murmured, unhappy with this development.

"He didn't offer Korra either. She asked him to." Mako pointed out. Bolin frowned at Mako's logic. Sure, that made sense. Still, he stands a chance with Korra, right?

"You know what? I don't care about all that. I'm gonna ask Korra out." He said, making Mako sigh again.

"Fine, whatever." He sighed. "Just keep your head out of the clouds and your priorities straight, Ok?" he asked.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Bolin waved him off. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you Pabu?" he asked his dripping wet pet. "I'm talking about real love." He whispered, looking into the Ferret's eyes. Pabu could only tilt his head and squeak in response.

* * *

On Air Temple Island, where Korra, Ikki, and Jinora were refilling the Leemur feeding stations with fruit, Jinora noticed that the young Avatar had a slightly far out look on her face, and guessed that it had something to do with Alex. Or perhaps the recent episode with Amon, but Korra looked more thoughtful than afraid, so that was unlikely.

"So, how are things going with you and Alex?" She asked Korra in interest, throwing the Avatar off a little.

"Yes! Tell us all about the magical romance!" Ikki squealed in excitement.

"W-what?" Korra blanched in surprise, not expecting the kids to ask such a thing. "Listen to you two…" She chuckled awkwardly. "I'm not interested in Alex or any romantic stuff…" She trailed off, coughing into her fist. "Besides, he's rejected every priss, hussy, and lass in the city. What chance would I have?" She asked, slumping in sadness. "But, let's just pretend for a second, that I AM interested in him... What would I do?" She asked, clearly at her rope's end.

"Ooh! I just read a historical saga where the heroine fell in love with the enemy general's son, who's supposed to marry the princess. You should do what she did!" Jinora said with a wide smile.

"Tell me!" Korra urged with an excited grin.

"She rode a dragon into battle and burnt down the entire country." Korra slumped in exasperation at the answer she got. "Then she jumped into a volcano. It was so romantic." Jinora sighed dreamily. She really was a sucker for love stories… Especially ones that end in tragedy. Korra made a mental note to have Tenzin get this girl tested…

"No no no!" Ikki piped up with a frown before Korra could respond to Jinora. "The best way to win a boy's heart is to brew a love potion of rainbows and sunsets that makes true lovers sprout wings and fly into a magical castle in the sky, where they get married and eat clouds with spoons and use stars as ice cubes in their moonlight punch. Forever and ever and ever!" She Airbent herself up in excitement. Maybe getting Ikki tested would help as well. And Meelo while they're at it...

"The volcano thing is starting to make more sense to me now…" Korra deadpanned in response, making the approaching mother of the two little girls laugh in amusement.

"Boy trouble Korra?" Pema asked with an amused smile, making Korra jump slightly.

"Oh! Hey, Pema! How long were you standing there?" The Avatar asked nervously, embarrassment evident in her tone.

"Long enough." Pema giggled. "But trust me, I know what you're going through." She smiled, approaching her two daughters and the Avatar. "Years ago, I was in a similar situation, with Tenzin." She told them.

"What do you mean?" Korra asked in confusion.

"For many years, I thought I'd never have a chance with Tenzin, because he was with another woman at the time." Pema elaborated with her usual radiant smile.

"Daddy was in love with someone else before you?" Ikki asked in surprise.

"That's right." Pema gave her youngest girl a brief wink.

"So, what did you do?" Korra asked curiously, hoping this info could help her.

"Well, for the longest time, I did nothing." Pema told her with a soft smile. "I was so shy, and scared of rejection. But watching my soulmate spend his life with the wrong woman became to painful." She shook her head softly, a nostalgic expression donning her features. "So, I hung my chin out there, and I confessed my love to Tenzin!" She said proudly. "And the rest is history." She smiled brightly, placing a hand on her pregnant belly.

"Wow…" The three younger girls sighed dreamily. Korra's expression then went from dreamy, to contemplative. If she were to hold her head high like that and confess, would Alex feel the same? It worked for Pema, so it would work for her, right? With a determined smile, Korra made up her mind of what she was going to do.

* * *

"The new uniforms look great." Alex told Asami as they sat in a VIP room to watch the Fire Ferrets game against their next opponents, the Rabberoos, a team all female Pro-Benders.

"Thanks." Asami grinned widely.

"How well do you think they'll do?" Alex asked, narrowing his eyes as the commenter introduced the teams.

"Well, they've been training hard since Korra took a leave of absence from the Task Force. You've seen how well they've been working together." Asami noted, making the Metalbender nod in agreement. "Still, the Rabberoos are good. They're gonna have their work cut out for them, but I'm sure they'll win." She added.

"I'm not sure." Alex responded, analysing the Rabberoos. "Those girls have been on a winning streak, yes, but you can tell that their skill leaves a lot to be desired by their movements. And they haven't even started Bending yet." He hummed in thought.

"Care to make this interesting?" Asami asked with a smirk.

"Never pegged you for a betting girl Ms Sato." Alex smirked back as Asmai pulled out some cash.

"200 Yuans say the Fire Ferrets will win by a thin margin." She bargained, putting the cash on the table between their two chairs.

"Deal." Alex agreed, putting his 200 on the table. "The Fire Ferrets will take all three rounds." He stated his bet, crossing his arms.

"Bold." Asami noted.

"Hush. It's starting." Alex shushed her as the game began.

Round 1 started with both teams letting out an explosive opening attack that pushed all six Benders back a little. Thankfully, both teams quickly recovered and unleashed a barrage of Bending at each other. The level of improvement by the Fire Ferrets was astonishing to some people. Said improvements allowed the Ferrets to advance into enemy territory, where they hold nothing back. Mako dodged an attack from enemy Earthbender, Bolin moved into strike, taking down an opponent, and then Mako followed up, distracting the enemy long enough for Bolin's attack to knock down the remaining opponents, taking the first Round for the team.

Round 2 started with the Raberoos looking for a bit of payback, so they instantly ganged up on Bolin. Korra jumped in to his defense, walloping the Raberoo Earthbender into Zone 2. The Ferrets lived up to their name in this game, as they were on fire as they knocked the remaining Raberoos down, scoring Round 2.

With Round 3 in, the only way for the Raberoos to win would be with a knockout, and that wasn't going to happen with how the Fire Ferrets were playing. They were working together like a well oiled Bending machine, and quickly advanced into Raberoo territory. One by one, the Raberoos were knocked down by the Ferrets. The Waterbender was knocked down by Korra, then came down the Earthbender at Mako's hands, and then the Firebender by Bolin's, scoring the final round and the game for the Ferrets.

"Thank you for your patronage, Citizen." Alex smirked as he pocketed the winnings from his little bet with Asami, making the girl huff.

"Smart ass." She grumbled, making Alex laugh.

"Sore loser." He smirked, making Asami glare at him.

"Shut up." She stood up. "Let's just go congratulate them." She huffed, walking away to meet her boyfriend.

"Sure, sure." Alex shook his head in amusement.

* * *

"Congratulations guys!" Asami grinned as she and Alex entered the waiting room, finding the Fire Ferrets grinning themselves and high fiving each other. "You guys were amazing out there." She hugged Mako. "Especially you." She kissed his cheek, whispering something in his ear that made him blush. Alex couldn't help snickering at the sight.

"Nicely done you two." Alex said to Bolin and Korra.

"Thanks bro! Couldn't have done it without those tricks you taught me!" Bolin grinned, slinging an arm around Alex's shoulder.

"Anytime Bolin." Alex responded, ruffling the boy's hair. Bolin pouted at the child-like treatment. "And you, Ms Avatar, have made a teacher very proud of his student. Even if you didn't use any Metalbending." Alex gave a mock bow, making Korra giggle as she returned the mock bow.

"Thanks Alex." She said with a small blush, her eyes shining slightly as she looked into Alex's beautiful green eyes.

"Anyway, I have to get back to the station and hand in a report to my Mom." The Detective said to everyone in the room. "Still, I'll be here for your game tomorrow, I promise." He said, earning an understanding nod from the Team. Bolin was about to speak to Korra, when suddenly, the Avatar spoke.

"Oh! I'll walk you out!" She told the Detective, finding a golden opportunity. Bolin slumped when Alex shrugged and accepted the offer, making Mako sigh. This wasn't going to end well for his little brother.

Bolin shrugged off his slump and held his head high again. He can wait until Alex is gone before making his move on Korra. No biggie.

* * *

"Hey, Alex?" Korra spoke up with a blush as she and Alex walked through the halls of the stadium. She found herself looking any direction except Alex's eyes… _"OK Korra, now's the perfect time!"_

"Yeah?" Alex responded as they exited through the front door, stopping at the steps. Korra was thankful that there wasn't anyone around to see her in her current state of nervousness.

"You… You've done a lot for me since we met…" The Avatar started fidgeting in place, her hand on her arm as she did her best to keep from stuttering. "You taught me Metalbending, you saved me from Amon, and quite a bit of other stuff…" She trailed off, blushing still.

"I just did what any decent person would do." Alex shrugged.

"Maybe, but I've never met a guy like you before." Korra admitted.

"Well, thanks…" Alex trailed off, not knowing where she was going with this.

"So, I figured we could spend some time together?" Korra asked softly, her blush deepening.

"We spend plenty of time together." Alex said in confusion.

"I mean off of Air Temple Island, and not training in Metalbending or looking for lost friends."

"I'm really confused right now…"

Frowning internally, Korra took a deep breath and threw caution to the wind.

"LookIreallylikeyouandIthinkweweremeantforeachother!" She blurted out, getting close to Alex, making the boy's eyes widen.

He… he never expected this. Sure, he knew that he was desirable, given how many women leered at him when he was in public, but he never expected Korra to take an interest in him. He's been approached by random girls in the city before, and he turned them down no problem. Korra, however, is not just a random girl.

"L-listen Korra…" Alex spoke up, a light stutter in his tone, after a minute of quiet. "I… I'm flattered, but… I'm sorry. I'm not interested." he said quietly, turning away. Korra's eyes widened. She could feel her heart breaking at his reply.

"W-what?" She asked softly, not wanting to believe what she heard.

"I'm not interested." Alex repeated himself, refusing to look in Korra's direction. "I'd be lying if I said you weren't my type, and you're more than just some friend to me, but I'm just not looking a relationship right now. I'm sorry." Briskly as he could, the Detective walked away from the crestfallen Avatar.

Looking back, Alex saw tears budding in Korra's eyes as he walked.

He also saw Bolin walking up to her with a confident smile on his face.

* * *

Wanting to avoid any awkwardness with Korra, Alex chose to spend the night at his condo. He may have been assigned to guard the Airbenders, but that doesn't mean he has to spend every waking moment there. As he took off his coat and armour and fell into his couch, he let out a huge sigh. When did life become so complicated?

" _Right, when I made friends with Avatar."_ He deadpanned to himself in his mind. Before any other cognitive thought could be formed by the Metalbender, one of his windows shot open, allowing a strong gust to flow in along with two small, orange blurs.

"WHY DID YOU SAY NO!?"

"YOU TWO ARE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER!"

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

"NO NAUGHTY WORDS!" The two Airbender girls that charged in yelled at Alex in unison, glaring..

"What are you two doing here?" Alex demanded of Ikki and Jinora as they folded their gliders into their staves.

"We want to know why you rejected Korra." Jinora crossed her arms.

"I fail to see how it's your business." Alex crossed his arms, giving her a faint glare.

"You were supposed to say yes, then kiss, then get married and live happily ever after!" Ikki cried with a big pout. Alex couldn't help but facepalm.

"Listen girls, real life doesn't work like that." he shook his head. "Where are you getting the idea that matters of the heart are so simple?" he asked.

"Mom." The girls answered in unison.

"Spirits…" Alex shook his head. He should have known. "What did she say?" He asked with a sigh. Pema always did have an underdeveloped sense of romance, stemming from how simple the story between her and Tenzin was. Couple that with how Tenzin was Pema's first, and only, lover, it's a no brainer.

"She told us, and Korra, the story between her, Daddy, and his ex-girlfriend." Jinora explained, making Alex sweatdrop. He knew exactly which ex-girlfriend Jinora was talking about…

"Figures…" Alex slumped into his couch again. "Listen you two, whatever Pema told you, don't take it too seriously." He told the girls. "Love isn't as simple as 'I love you' 'I love you too' 'Let's get married!' It's a lot more complicated than that." he explained as the girls sat on the couch opposite him.

"But-"

"But nothing." Alex cut Ikki off in a snap, doing his best to ignore the hurt look on the girl's face. "Whatever happens between Korra and I, does NOT. Involve. You." He spoke firmly. The girls sighed and nodded in understanding, clearly unhappy. "Now, I'll call your parents and tell them you're staying the night. I don't want you two flying around at this time of night." he said, standing up and heading over to the phone. He dialed Air Temple Island.

"Hello?" An unknown voice answered.

"Hello. This is Detective Beifong. Could you please get either Councilman Tenzin or his wife? I need to speak with either one." He said.

"Of course. One moment please." the person on the other side of the line responded before it went quiet.

"Hello?" The voice of Pema spoke after a moment.

"Pema." Alex greeted dryly. _"Fantastic…"_

"Oh! Alex! To what do I owe the pleasure?" She sounded excited. Alex could easily tell why.

"Firstly, I wanted to inform you that I'll be spending the night at my condo, rather than the island." he told the woman. He could practically hear the grin on her face.

"Oh? How come? A lady friend perhaps?" Pema sounded mischievous, and… suggestive. Damn those pregnancy hormones...

"Quite the opposite. I'm trying to avoid a young lady who was pushed into a misguided sense of romance because of your stupid, sappy love story." Alex snarked with an angry frown.

"What?" Pema gasped.

"And now, your two eldest children break into my home to yell at me for rejecting Korra." the Detective added.

"What!?" Pema exclaimed. "Are they ok?" She sounded worried. Well, at least she has her priorities straight...

"Yes, they're fine. I assure you." Alex promised. "But, I think it would be best if they spent the night here with me. It's late, and I don't think it's safe for them to be out." He said coolly.

"Thank the Spirits." Pema sighed in relief.

"I'll bring them by in the morning."

"Thank you Alex." Pema responded. "But, did I hear you right? You rejected Korra?"

"Yes, yes I did."

"Why!?"

"That's really none of your business."

"But, I thought you really liked her!"

"I never said such a thing."

"But-"

"None. Of. Your. Business!" Alex repeated, growling. "I'm not into Korra. End. Of. Story." he growled harshly. He could hear Pema sighing on the other side of the line.

"Fine." She relented.

"Goodbye Pema."

"Goodbye Alex."

With that, they hung up, and Alex released a huge sigh before looking over at the two children that were in his house. Both of them were doing their best to look as innocent as possible, but they also had an expectant gaze in their eyes.

"Alright you two. Off to bed. It's late." He pointed at the spare bedroom. "There's a big bed in there, so you're going to have to share.

"What!?" Ikki whined. "I don't wanna go to bed!"

"Go." Alex instructed firmly. "You're under my roof. So what I say _goes._ " he narrowed his eyes. The girls pouted, but did as they were told. Alex, in the meantime, released yet another sigh and fell into his couch. _"Why me?"_ He asked himself in a groan.

* * *

*Knock knock knock!*

Alex groaned in his bed tossing and turning a little as he heard an intense knocking come from his front door. Looking at his clock, he saw it was only 7am. Who was at his home at this ungodly hour?! With a massive groan, he got up and slipped on a pair of pant over his boxers before heading over to his front door.

Imagine his surprise when he was greeted to the sight of Mako.

"We need to talk." The Firebender crossed his arms.

"Morning Alex. Nice to see you." The Metalbender snarked in an imitation of Mako's voice, stepping aside to allow Mako in. "What do you need?" Alex sked tiredly, heading into the kitchen and turning on his gas stove. He placed his coffee pot over the small flame.

"I heard what happened between you and Korra." Mako stated, making Alex groan.

"Not you too!" He whined. "I've already been harassed by two Airbender children, and I'm probably on my way to getting harassed by their mother. I don't need it from you Mako." he gave his old friend a tired glare.

"I'm not here to harass you." Mako returned. "I do think you like her, but I'm not gonna get involved." he said, making Alex release a sigh. "This concerns Bolin." he added, making Alex look at him. "Korra's using him to get back you. She went out on a date with him last night; got him all up in a tizzy." he explained.

"You're kidding!" Alex said in an incredulous tone. Surely Korra wouldn't be shallow?

"Not in the slightest." Mako narrowed his eyes. "Listen, like I said, I'm not gonna get involved in your relationship with Korra, but I do want you sort things out with her. I do NOT want to see Bolin get hurt." He regarded the Detective with a faint glare.

"What am I supposed to do?" Alex shot back.

"I don't care. Just clear this mess up before something bad happens." Mako replied. "You started this situation, you fix it."

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Alex asked with crossed arms.

"Well, and this just occurred to me, maybe if you tell Korra the truth, that could help." Mako snarked.

"There's nothing to tell." Alex looked away.

"Spirits, you always do this!" Mako groaned in frustration. "Anytime a girl approaches you, you push them away!" He said loudly.

"What's it to you?!" Alex demanded.

"You're my best friend! My brother in everything but blood!" Mako retorted. "You think I enjoy seeing you like this?! Like your mother!?" He asked.

"I am nothing like her!" Alex shot back angrily.

"You live alone, eat alone, spend most of your time alone, and refuse to let anyone into that stone cold heart of yours. Even Bolin and I would be hard pressed to get you to talk about your feelings or problems with us." Mako countered. Alex gritted his teeth in frustration.

After a moment, he spoke again. "Fine, I'll speak with Korra, clear this mess up, but I'm still not dating anyone." He said sternly, glaring at Mako. Mako's glare softened, though it was still there.

"That's all I can ask." he said softly. "See ya Alex." he sighed, leaving the condo and leaving Alex alone in the kitchen. The Metalbender had a hand over his face, releasing a deep sigh.

* * *

After dropping Ikki and Jinora off at Air Temple Island, where they got a huge lecture from their mother, Alex made his way to the office, after making sure Pema didn't see him. He promised Mako he'd talk to Korra, and he would. This evening, where he knew she'd be at stadium. So, he spent the day at the office, working on his reports and going through any information the Force had on the Equalists. All in all, not a very productive day.

In the end, he just decided to head to the arena and wait there for Korra. He arrived about an hour before the game started and waited for almost an hour before Korra arrived. When she did, she noticed him sitting on the stairs, clearly waiting for something. Shaking her head, she continued on her way, intent on walking right past him. She really didn't want to speak to him after he rejected her so bluntly.

Unfortunately…

"What are playing at?" Alex asked her before she could pass him, standing up.

"Excuse me?" Korra asked in confusion.

"With Bolin. You're stringing him along, using him to get back at me." The Metalbender crossed his arms with a glare.

"I am not! We're just having fun together!" The Avatar defended.

"Oh, you cannot possibly be that clueless." Alex scoffed. "Anyone can see, plain as day, that Bolin is _head over heels_ for you Korra." He glared at her.

"What do you care?" Korra glared back.

"I'm looking out for my friend. When he falls, he falls _hard._ I don't wanna see his heart get broken." Alex answered, his glare not dropping.

"Wait a minute…" Korra trailed off before her lips twisted up into a smirk. "You're not worried about him, you're jealous!" She grinned triumphantly. "You do have feelings for me!"

"Oh for love of…" Alex's palm met his face, hard. "Don't be ridiculous Korra." he scoffed.

"Admit it, you like me." Korra leaned forward with a smirk.

"No. I don't need you." Alex growled.

"But when you're all alone in bed, you're thinking of me, aren't you?" Korra asked slyly. Well, never let it be said that the Avatar didn't have any proverbial balls… Still, behind that cocky, sly tone, there was a spark of hope in her voice that Alex did not miss.

"Get over yourself!"

"I'm just being honest!"

"You're nuts!"

"You're a liar!"

With one final glare at each other, the pair stormed into the building through different entrances. Korra stormed right past Mako, who was waiting for them, and had heard the whole thing argument.

"I tried Mako." Alex said and stormed off to the VIP room before the Firebender could say anything. Hey, even if he and Korra aren't talking he'll at least watch the game to support Mako and Bolin.

* * *

"Wow, someone's not in a good mood." Asami remarked as she sat beside Alex in the same chair she did for the previous match.

"You don't know the half of it." Alex sighed, rubbing his temples.

"I'm not doing so great myself." Asami sighed, slumping into her seat.

"How come?" Alex asked, hoping to take his mind off of his own problems for a little while.

"Mako." Was Asami's simple answer. "We had a bit of a fight. I think… I think there's something going on between him and Korra." She sighed sadly, making Alex sweatdrop.

So much for getting away from his own problems…

"Believe me, there's nothing between them." The Metalbender deadpanned.

"Really? So you don't see the tension between them?" Asami asked, pointing at the waiting station, where anyone could see Korra and Mako having somewhat of a shouting match.

"No, I see it." Alex responded dryly. "It's just not for the reasons you think." He sighed again.

"Then what?" Asami asked in confusion.

"Korra isn't into Mako… she's into... " he trailed off, letting out yet another sigh. "Me." he said finally.

"What?" Asami gasped.

"She tried to ask me out last night, but I shot her down. Afterwards, Bolin asked her out, and she said yes." Alex rubbed his temples. "Mako's mad at both me and her for that." He groaned. Asami's eyes widened at the explanation.

"So, there's nothing between them?" She asked softly.

"No. Mako's just mad at her for using Bolin." Alex assured her, making her sigh in self-loathing. Looks like she has a bit of apologising to do…

"But wait, why did you reject Korra? I thought you liked her?" She asked in confusion, making the Detective groan.

"Why does everyone think I like Korra!?" He asked in a loud whine.

"Well, it's kinda obvious Alex." Asami pointed out. "You freely taught her Metalbending, ran to her rescue when she was facing Amon, and Mako says he can't even begin to count the number of times he's seen you staring at her." She deadpanned, making Alex flush a little. He couldn't think of a valid response to that.

Yes, he thought Korra was beautiful.

Yes, she was his type.

Yes, her headstrong and sarcastic personality appealed to him.

Yes, he enjoyed spending time with her.

Yes, he enjoyed teaching her Metalbending.

Yes, he thought she had a nice body.

Yes, the thought of a relationship with Korra had crossed his mind once or twice.

Yes, he…

Wait...

"Oh fuck…" Alex groaned, burying his face in his hands as realisation struck him. "I'm falling for the Avatar…" he murmured into his palms.

"Hate to say I told you so." Asami smirked.

"No, no you don't." Alex glared at her.

"True, true." She said smugly, making Alex scowl in annoyance. "So, what are you going to do about all this?" She asked with an eyebrow raised expectantly.

"I guess… I have to talk with Korra again." He sighed, feeling an immense amount of guilt. Mako was right. He really is a lot like Lin. He's shut people out for too long… Never letting people into his heart… Never letting his feelings out… It needs to stop.

Otherwise, he really would turn into his mother, completely.

"Well, it's going to have to wait." Asami pointed out as the match started. Alex couldn't help but flinch as he saw Korra's less than stellar performance. And it was all his fault…

* * *

After the match, which the Fire Ferrets were just barely able to win, thanks to Bolin scoring the final tiebreaker, Alex made his way to the Fire Ferrets locker room, finding Mako and Bolin, but no Korra. He guessed that she must have made a hasty exit as soon as the match was over, considering he and Asami always come by when a match finishes.

"You seen Korra?" Alex asked Mako as he entered the room, being sure to Bolin away from the conversation.

"She's outside, why?" Mako asked with narrowed eyes. Alex sighed and turned away, walking towards the door.

"Time for the truth." He answered before exiting, leaving a wide eyed Mako behind while Bolin was still cheering for their victory.

As Alex left the building, he found himself grateful for the jacket he wore underneath his coat. He was also glad that he wasn't wearing his armour, for fear of frostbite from the cold. Looking around, he found who he was looking for under the gazebo just outside of the arena, leaning against one of the pillars. Anyone who saw her could feel the aura of depression around her.

"We need to talk." Alex spoke firmly as he approached the young Avatar.

"What's there to talk about?" Korra asked in a snap, refusing to look at him. "You've already made it clear how you feel about me." She hung her head with a hand on her arm.

"No, no I haven't." Alex replied, sighing. "Listen Korra, the truth is, as infuriating as you can be sometimes, you're also one of the most amazing women a guy like me can hope to meet." He admitted, looking at the ground.

"So, you do like me?" Korra asked, finally turning around, her eyes shining in hope.

"Yes." Alex confessed. "But, with my complicated relationship with my mother, and the fallout I had with Mako and Bolin, I'm scared I'll mess things up, and I just feel really confused and-"

Alex was cut off by Korra stepping forward and pressing her lips to his. A part of him wanted to push her away, to say that he can't do this. But, another part, a bigger, more powerful part of him found himself intoxicated by the taste of her lips. His heart beating faster than he knew it could, Alex melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Korra's waist, prompting a faint moan as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

There wasn't any tongue in the kiss, but it was far from chaste. The feelings of desire between the two teenagers were strong, that much was obvious. As they revelled in the feeling of each other's lips, they failed to notice the young Earthbender approaching. After they separated, their eyes shining as they stared at each other, Korra's eyes suddenly widened before she looked away, an ashamed look donning her lovely features. A little confused, Alex turned around, his own eyes widening at what he saw; a devastated Bolin holding a bouquet of flowers, tears in his eyes.

"Bolin, I…" Alex took a step forward.

"You… you bastards!" Bolin cried, tossing the flowers away and running off. Alex couldn't help but slump in place.

"Great, I try to fix things, and it backfires." he sighed.

"You should go after him." Korra spoke up after a moment of silence. "I'm probably the last person he wants to see right now." she sighed.

"You sure?" Alex asked, getting a nod in response. He returned the nod. "We…" he stopped for a second, turning to face Korra. "We can talk about… 'us' after this whole thing blows over." He told her, continuing on his path.

Despite the situation, Korra couldn't stop the delighted smile that split her face as she watched Alex walk off. The boy she liked liked her back! Who wouldn't be ecstatic? Then, she remembered all that happened up until this point and she couldn't help looking at the ground in shame. True, she'd gotten Alex to admit his feelings, but in the process, she'd possibly ruined the friendship between him and Bolin. Was it worth it? Was she really that shallow?

She sighed. "Well played Korra." She looked at the sea sadly.

* * *

 **Well, admittedly, this chapter didn't take much effort. I've been looking forward to this part of the story since I started, so… It practically wrote itself. Anyways, more fluff in the next chapter, which should also(probably) write itself.**

 **Oh, and just in case I didn't make this clear in the past, I'm totally open to suggestions and requests in this story. If there's something you want to see here, go ahead and tell me in the reviews! I might just do it.**


	9. Truth

"I do not believe this…" Mako deadpanned as he and Alex walked into the restaurant known as Narook's Noodlery. Alex had consulted Mako about where Bolin might be, and after a short shouting match, the Firebender had relented and told Alex to call Narook's Noodlery, practically demanding to come along as Narook affirmed Bolin's presence there.

"How does someone get drunk on noodles?" Alex asked incredulously as he stared at the sight before him. Sight being Bolin, leaning his head on his arms at one of the tables, seemingly drunk off his ass, and about 15 empty noodle bowls in front of him.

"No use dwelling on it." Mako sighed as they approached the drunken Earthbender. "Hey, Bolin, wake up." He shook his brother gently.

"We need to get you home Bro." Alex added as Bolin looked up at them, sniffling, with dark black bags under his eyes.

"Don't call me that!" He slurred loudly, glaring at Alex. "You're not my brother! You're a brother betrayer!" He cried, pointing as accusatory finger at the Metalbender.

"Geez. What part of this situation made you think it was a good idea for me to talk things out with Korra _now_ of all times?" Alex asked the older brother, making him sigh.

"Wait, you told him to do this!?" Bolin yelled at Mako, glaring.

"Bolin, I-"

"Traitors!" Bolin cried again. "Traitors everywhere! I can't trust anyone!" he threw his arms up in the air. "The only one I can trust anymore, is Pabu!" Bolin gestured to the Fire Ferret, who was lying back in one of the empty noodle bowls with an inflated stomach. "Pabu loves me…" he murmured.

"Is that how he got pregnant?" Alex asked dryly, looking at the rodents stomach.

"Alex!" Mako hissed before turning back to his brother. "Listen, you're a mess, and we've got the biggest match of our lives tonight. Let's go." He said firmly, grabbing Bolin's arm.

"No!" Bolin yelled, yanking his arm back. "I'm going anywhere with you traitors!" He growled, slumping back into the table. Mako and Alex shared a blank look before sharing a nod.

"Guess we're doing this the hard way." Alex stated, pulling his coat aside. Clipped to his belt was one of the earlier models of the Metalbender cables; the ones that were made before the gauntlets came along. He never leaves home without one of these, or his gauntlets. Using his Metalbending, he shot a cable at Bolin, wrapping it around his waist. "Let's go." he sighed, swinging the cable over his shoulder and walking away, dragging Bolin with him across the ground. Mako released a sigh of exasperation as he followed.

"Told you dating a teammate was a bad idea." he sighed in his little brother's direction.

"You're a bad idea!" Bolin shot back before turning his glare to Alex. "Let me go!" he cried, yanking at the cables, to no avail. Pabu saw his master leaving and crawled after him. Well, not so much crawled as used his tiny legs to drag his inflated body across the ground.

* * *

For the billionth time that night, Alex couldn't help but sigh. After Mako and Bolin went back to their waiting room a few hours after the noodle incident., Alex went back to the VIP room, where Asami was already sitting, a light smile on her face.

"I take it you fixed things with Mako?" The Metalbender asked, sitting next to the seemingly delighted girl.

"Yep~" Asami smiled brightly. It was then that Alex noticed a small mark on her neck.

"You don't think you're taking things a bit fast don't you?" He asked, pointing at her neck. "I mean, it's been like a month." he deadpanned. Asami's face lit up bright red as she realised what he was talking about.

"I-I-I-It's not like that!" She all but screeched in embarrassment. "W-w-w-we just got a little heated is all!" She said loudly, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh really? You think I don't notice you whispering things in Mako's ear that make him blush?" Alex teased, making Asami's face turn redder than is thought possible.

"A-a-a-anyway!" She stammered, changing the subject. "Did you fix things with Korra?" She asked.

"Well, yeah." Alex sighed again.

"And?" Asami raised an eyebrow.

"We kissed…"

"You did!?" She squealed.

"Bolin saw…" Asami's wide grin dropped as soon as it came. "And then he ran off to Narook's, where he binged on noodles." Alex sighed once more. "Mako and I had to drag him back here at the end of my cable."

"Is he ok?" The heiress asked in concern.

"Physically, he's fine. Might have stomach ache, but he'll be fine. Emotionally…" The Metalbender trailed off, shaking his head. "I don't know." He said finally. "Bolin's always been weak to women." He couldn't help the small smile of amusement that donned his lips at a couple of memories that came to mind. "Back in school, he would ask out a different girl every week. They'd shoot him down, he'd be depressed, and a few days later, he'd be pining after another girl." He remembered one of those girls actually slapped him when he got a little too flirty. "But that was back in school." the Detective finished, letting out another sigh.

"Well, he is a strong guy." Asami reminded him. "I'm sure he'll get over it. He doesn't seem like the kinda guy to hold a grudge for too long." She placed a comforting hand on Alex's shoulder. "And whilst he's no casanova, he's bound to realise that sooner or later, he'll meet the right girl." she added. Alex smiled softly at the little joke there, thankful for the comfort.

"Thanks Asami." He smiled gratefully. With that, they watched the game as it started.

It started out with the Ferret's opponents delivering a perfectly executed combo attack, sending all three Ferrets into an early trip to Zone 2. Mako was pushed into Zone 3 just seconds later. Whilst trying to defend from the attacks, Bolin got hit in the stomach by an earth disk, resulting in him literally losing his noodles. Using that as a distraction, the enemy Waterbender managed to throw Mako out of the field. Just barely managing to keep themselves in the field, Korra and Bolin were saved by the timer. Unfortunately, the first round still went to the enemy.

Round 2 started a little more evenly matched, until Mako was pushed into Zone 2 by an Earth disk, which disrupted his focus and caused him to throw a blast of fire at Bolin, who just barely got away unscathed. As Bolin yelled at his brother for hitting him, the enemy Waterbender took advantage and whipped Bolin into the water with a hard jet to the back. Korra, feeling a lot of frustration from the game's progress and all the drama with Alex, started mercilessly beating on the enemy Waterbender,earning herself a penalty, meaning she had to move back one Zone. Growling angrily, she sent a jet of water at the referee, who pegged her with a yellow flag, meaning that the Ferrets lost the Round.

With the opponents in the lead, the Ferrets could only win with a knockout. After failing to motivate her teammates, Korra and said brothers started the Round with their opponents. The enemy quickly knocked Bolin and Mako into Zone 2, the former taking a hard zinger to the shoulder. Since there was no foul play in the hit, the ref couldn't stop the match, so Bolin had to keep going. Crying out for his brother's safety, Mako was distracted enough to be tossed out of the ring, Bolin following. With them out of the game, victory rested in Korra's hands, and no way she going to let the Ferrets lose like this. Flawlessly, she dodged every attack coming her way. She was able to push the enemy Firebender into Zone 3, and then the Earthbender into Zone 2. With 10 seconds remaining, she pushed the enemy Waterbender to line up with his teammates, and shot a strong jet of water at him. The force of the jet pushed him into his teammates, and thus all three went for a swim; a maneuver known as 'The Big Kibosh' in the Probending world, and it score victory for the Ferrets.

Alex and Asami cheered loudly at their friends' victory. Sharing wide grins, they rushed out of the VIP room and straight towards the locker room. Still, the implications of actually going there started to sink in to Alex's mind, and his grin slowly dropped into a pained and regretful frown.

* * *

Alex and Asami quickly made their way to the locker room. As soon as they arrived, Alex stopped himself at the door, suddenly feeling nervous, while Asami jumped into Mako's arms and gave him a big kiss.

"Nicely done Champ." She said in a soft and slightly husky tone, sending a shiver down her boyfriend's back. "And you too Korra, I've never seen a hat trick like that." She smiled at the Avatar, who smiled back.

"Thanks, but, if it hadn't been for you and your father, we wouldn't even be in the game, so thank you." Korra responded.

"Hey, if the thank-yous are done, need some medical attention here!" Bolin piped up with a cringe of pain.

"Oh, let me help." Korra said, walking over to the bucket of warm water.

"Wait." Alex spoke up, approaching. "His shoulder is dislocated. You'll do more harm than good if you just heal him out of the blue without setting the bone." He warned before Korra could bend any water.

"Right." Korra nodded, scolding herself for forgetting such an important detail from her healing training. Alex put his hand on Bolin's shoulder and focussed some of his Bodybending technique into Bolin's arm. Finding the exact area that was dislocated, he placed both hands in the right areas and moved to create the illusion that he was setting the shoulder manually, when he was actually bending it into place. Never hurts being accurate.

"Gah! Haven't you hurt me enough you jackass?!" The younger Earthbender cried in pain.

"Don't be a baby." Mako rolled his eyes.

"Work your magic." Alex told Korra as he stepped back. Korra nodded and sat beside Bolin, applying some glowing water to his wound, easing the pain.

"Oh yeah, that's the stuff." Bolin sighed in relief.

"Bolin, I'm sorry about today. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." The Avatar bowed her head in shame.

"Ah, I'll be ok." Bolin waved her off with a slightly wince of pain. His shoulder was still hurting somewhat. "But, we had fun, right?" he asked hopefully.

"I had a great time." Korra nodded, meaning every word. "You, Bolin, are one of a kind." She smiled at him.

"Please, go on, I enjoy praise." Bolin said in a jokingly sauve tone, making everyone laugh.

"I suppose I owe you an apology too Bolin." Alex spoke up. "I was stupid, and should have come clean sooner. Then maybe this whole mess wouldn't have happened." He bowed his head in shame.

"Bro, I said I'll be alright." Bolin responded with his usual grin. However, it soon turned into an uncharacteristically serious face. "But, I have to ask, why weren't you more forthcoming sooner?" He asked. Alex sighed, looking at the younger Earthbender. Mako, Korra and Asami were also looking at him expectantly. With another heavy sigh, he relented.

"So many reasons." He shook his head. "I guess one of the reasons is my relationship with my Mom." he told them. "Nothing I've ever done has made her proud, or even smile. If I can't have a good relationship with my Mom, how exactly am I supposed to make a girl happy?" He asked. "And then there's what happened between the three of us." he said to the two brothers, who winced. "I cut you guys off completely for doing what you needed to survive. How am I supposed to maintain a healthy relationship with a girl if I break things off because a small fight or argument?" He asked, making the brothers give him a look of understanding.

"Is that why…" Asami trailed off, earning a nod from Alex. Mako looked at them in confusion, but shrugged it off. If it was important, he'd find out eventually from one of them.

What the young heiress was referring to was the time she and Alex had first met. Asami had developed a little crush on the young Detective and had attempted to woo him. She was met with a blunt rejection, which hurt her a little, but she quickly got over it. As stated before, it was just a little crush. The Metalbender had told her that he was flattered, and that he did find her attractive, but he just wasn't looking for a relationship. Now, she could see that it was a lot deeper than that.

"Long story short, I was afraid I'd mess things up." Alex summarised, making everyone look at him in sympathy.

Clearly, the boy, no, man, in front of them has had a difficult life. So much so that he fears developing bonds. And Korra knew exactly where the situation begins; Lin Beifong. Korra felt her dislike of the crabby old lady grow some more. Not only had she neglected Alex's emotional needs from childhood, but he couldn't even bring himself to form a bond with anyone because of her.

Everyone was pulled out of their thoughts by a group of people entering the room, which happened to be none other than Tahno and the Wolfbats. Just the mere sight of him made Korra's blood boil. What she wouldn't give to get just one hit in on that jackass' smug face. Out of nowhere, said jackass started sniffing the air, his face curling in disgust.

"Ugh, you smell that boys?" He asked, waving a hand in front of his nose. "Yeah, that's the scent of losers." He sent a teasing smirk in Korra's direction, who was fuming with clenched fists.

"Probably because three of them just walked in." Alex chimed in before things got violent.

"Ah! Look who it is." Tahno grinned at the sight of the Metalbender. "Detective Beifong. How lovely to see you again." he greeted, his voice laced with malice behind his grin.

"I'd say the same, but I'd be lying." Alex glared. Tahno just chuckled in amusement and continued on towards the arena.

"Whatever you say Pal, whatever you say." The Waterbender smirked, putting his helmet on.

"That guy makes me so mad!" Korra screeched, kicking the wall.

"The feeling's mutual." Alex hissed, glaring at Tahno's retreating form.

"You know him?" Bolin asked in confusion.

"Yeah." Alex growled under his breath. "A year ago, he was involved in a drug deal that resulted in the death of a 15 year old kid. He refused to give the info we needed, so the killer walks free, due to lack of evidence." The Metalbender seethed. "And since we can't prove that Tahno knows something, we can't charge him for Withholding Evidence." Criminals who get away with their crimes enrage him to no end.

"Wait, Tahno's on drugs?" Bolin gasped.

"You'd have to take something to be _that_ pale, especially for a Waterbender…" Asami mused out loud. She may be rather pale herself, but her skin shade was natural, given her habit of spending most of her time in her workshop.

"Scumbag." Korra spat.

"Look, we've all had a long day." Mako decided to speak up. "Bolin needs rest, Asami needs to get home, and you two need to sort out wherever 'this' is going." he gestured to Alex and Korra, who blushed faintly.

"He's right." The Detective sighed before turning his attention to Bolin. "You gonna be ok?" He asked, referring to both younger Earthbender's heart and shoulder.

"I'll be fine." Boling assured him. With a submissive sigh, Alex nodded. After giving Korra some time to get out of her uniform, the five friends went their separate ways; the brothers to their apartment, the heiress to her mansion, and the Avatar and Detective to Air Temple Island. Needless to say, that trip was long and awkwardly quiet one.

* * *

The day after the Pro-bending Semi-Finals, Alex found himself sitting on a bench on Air Temple Island, looking at the city on the other side of the water as he petted a lemur that lay on his lap. Republic City seemed so peaceful, and tranquil this distance, it was hard to remember why he had to do what he does. From this point of view, the need for Detectives and Law Enforcement… It all just seemed so redundant. Unfortunately, in the shadows, there was a world of crime flourishing. Murderers, drug dealers, rapists… Alex had even come across a front for human trafficking once.

And that is why he does what he does. Not just because he idolises his Grandmother, and yes, to some extent, his Mother as well, but because there aren't many others who would do it themselves. That in mind, he feels it's up to him to protect Republic City, _his_ City. And if it means risking his life, or even taking another from time to time, so be it. Yes, he has taken a life before, several times.

He still remembers the sounds of his gauntlet blade slicing through a would-be rapists throat as he came at the Detective with a knife, the distinct _crack_ of a drug dealer's neck being broken when the Detective pushed him a little harder than he thought, and the horrible screams of a murderer when Alex pushed her off of a building during their fight as she tried to get away. Those memories will haunt him forever…

And yet, looking at the City from his current position, you'd never guess any of it.

"Alex?" The familiar voice of a certain young Avatar called out to the Metalbender. He turned and saw Korra approaching, holding her arm as she walked, unable to look him in the eye. She had a nervous look on her face, and a faint blush of embarrassment and nervousness decorating her cheeks.

"Korra." Alex greeted with a small smile, gesturing to the spot next to him. Gingerly, the young Avatar took the seat, still struggling to look at the object of her affections.

Several moments of awkward silence passed before someone spoke. "Who's your friend?" Korra asked, gesturing to the lemur that lay on Alex's lap.

"His name is Jet." Alex smiled fondly at the animal. This particular lemur was rather unique in many regards, but the most obvious was the lack of any fur that wasn't coloured white. "He's a direct descendant of Momo, who travelled with Aang during the 100 war. He latched himself onto me several years ago, but never leaves the island." The Detective explained. "I named him after a man that Master Katara once told me of; her first love interest, who betrayed her trust. Eventually, he was able to earn her forgiveness, but lost his life in the process." He recalled the story as the elderly Waterbender told it. "Something about the story just clicked with me, and when I met this little guy, the name chose itself." He finished, stroking the lemur across its back.

"Master Katara told me that story too." Korra revealed. Alex didn't respond. Again, there was some awkward and painstaking silence. Neither of the teens knew what they should say. For an unknown number of minutes, not a sound could be heard. Until…

"I'm sorry!" The two of the burst out in perfect, and somewhat frightening unison. "Oh, I'm sorry, I…" They spoke in unison again, rubbing the backs of their heads. "You go first." Again, they spoke in unison. Looking at each other for a moment, their cheeks lightly pink, they shared a light laugh.

"You go first." Alex told her. With a small breath, Korra nodded.

"I'm sorry I went so overboard." She apologised. "Even with the way things turned out, I should have just accepted your response instead of trying to force everything to go my way." She sighed, leaning her arms on her knees. "It was very immature of me… and here I am, doing everything I can to convince Tenzin that I'm an adult." She grumbled before focussing back on Alex. "I'm sorry." She repeated.

With a smile, Alex nodded. "It's ok Korra. I owe you an apology too." He sighed. "I let my own fears and insecurities get in the way of what I wanted with, well... us." He said with a shake of his head. "I get that I hurt you. It would have been better for everyone, myself included, if I had been more forthcoming with my feelings. I'm sorry." He gave a slight bow of his head. Korra scooted up closer to him and smiled.

"It's ok." She smiled. For half a minute the two looked into each other's eyes, Korra into his deep emerald orbs and Alex into her lovely cerulean orbs. Jet, who had woken up at some point, let out a large stretch and sat up on Alex's lap. Giving a small chitter, he jumped off of the Detective's lap and flew off, presumably to find something to eat. "So… what happens now?" Korra asked softly.

"Well…" Alex trailed off slightly, a faint blush decorating his cheeks. "I'd really like to give this…" He gestured between the two of them. "A try." He confessed. Korra's face lit up like the southern lights.

"R-really?" She asked, her ecstatic tone straining through her barely straight face.

"Really." Alex nodded with a light laugh. Placing one of his hands over Korra's, the Detective placed his other hand under Korra chin and lifted her head up to look at him. Korra, in an uncharacteristically girly moment, felt her heart racing as he leaned in closer to each other.

A hair's width, just a hair's width away and they would have been kissing. Unfortunately…

"Shhh! They're gonna kiss!" A young, girly voice hissed.

"So romantic!" A younger, also girly voice sighed before they both went quiet.

Rather blushing in embarrassment, or burying their faces, or anything remotely resembling that kind of reaction, all Alex and Korra could manage to feel was exasperation and frustration. They didn't move an inch, but their expressions had turned from love-struck and excited, to deadpanned and exasperated.

"Would you like to or should I?" Alex asked bluntly.

"Please, be my guest." Korra sighed, leaning back and crossing her arms with a huff. _"So close!"_ she raged in her mind as Alex stood up.

"Ikki! Jinora!" He yelled towards the bushes. The two eavesdroppers stiffened at being found out. "Get out of here before I tell your mother about the book you stole from the library!" He ordered, pointing at the Air Temple. With loud squeals, two orange blurs shot out of the bushes and flew towards the Air Temple. "And that takes care of that." The Metalbender said with a satisfied smirk.

"Book?" Korra asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Jinora got her hands on a book that she shared with Ikki. Let's just say that it wasn't exactly child-friendly." Alex grimaced, remembering one of the particularly steamy scenes of that book.

"This book wouldn't happen to involve a woman who rode a dragon into battle, burnt down an entire country, and jumped into volcano would it?" Korra asked with half-lidded eyes.

"Yes, exactly, why?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No reason!" The Avatar said quickly, recalling that particular conversation where the aforementioned book came up. Raising his eyebrow, he sat down, deciding not to press the issue. Suddenly, the air became rather thick between the two teens. "So…" He trailed off, looking away bashfully. "Shall we try that again?" He asked.

With a light snort, and blush to match Alex's, Korra nodded softly. "I'd like to, yes." She answered, scooting closer to him. Without bothering with cheek cupping, hand holding, or anything else that could delay them this time, the two teens leaned towards one another. Without any hesitation, their lips met in a wonderful kiss. Korra's lips were soft, and warm, almost heated in a way. Alex's were also soft, and a little cold in Korra's opinion, but she found that she liked it, immensely.

Their lips moved together in a steady tandem, dancing like a rehearsed ballet. Alex placed one hand on Korra's shoulder, and the other on her cheek, deepening the kiss, as Korra rested one of her hands on Alex's knee, and the other on his shoulder. A soft moan escaped her as Alex ran a hand through her soft, silky, dark brown hair. Something about the gesture just stirred something within her, and she like it, a lot. Separating, the new couple looked into each other's eyes, their faces flushed. They couldn't help but stare at each other, grinning like total maniacs.

"Wow…" Korra let out a dreamy sigh, in total bliss with the amazing kiss she just experienced.

"Wow indeed." Alex chuckled. The Detective was most definitely in agreement.

Both teens knew this was just the start of something amazing for both of them.

* * *

 **OK, I am aware that I said that this chapter would be out sooner. I was wrong. It was much harder to write than I had initially anticipated, but I got it done. That's really all that counts. It's not the longest chapter I ever wrote, I know that, but this where the story starts to pick up, so I'm fairly certain you can expect longer chapters from this point on.**

 **Anywho, Alex and Korra are finally together! Who liked the fact that there was conflict between them before they actually got together? I figured it was a bit boring for them to just go on a date, kiss, and then become an official couple. That happens way too often in OCxKorra fics in my opinion. So I figured I should mix it up a bit. Who prefered that I did it this way?**

 **Again, I'm totally open to suggestions and requests. Whether it relates to the plot, bending, character interactions, I'm all ears! Well, eyes, technically, but I digress. Don't hesitate to make requests and/or suggestions.**

 **PLease Review!**


	10. Jitters

The days following Alex and Korra's official start to their relationship were interesting, to say the least. They had yet to go on any dates so far, with the Pro-Bending tournament Finals approaching, but Alex promised her that they would go on a wonderful first date after the tournament was finished. Of course, that didn't stop them from spending time together. Mostly they talked and interacted like most teenage couples do, but occasionally they would meet up in the dining room when no one else was there, so they could eat alone together.

Korra was surprised to find out that Alex could cook. She was not complaining though. As a Water Tribe girl, she was accustomed to seafood and noodles taking up most of her appetite, and whilst the Air Acolyte's vegetarian food was enjoyable to an extent, she missed good meat in her diet. The hippo cow sirloin that the teen cooked to perfection for her was like blissful breath of fresh air for her. She wondered how he managed to convince the Air Acolytes to allow him to use the kitchen for cooking meat. She decided that she didn't care though, after tasting that delightful slice of heaven.

Yes, Korra enjoyed having Alex as her boyfriend.

And the kissing. The kissing was amaaaaaazing….

Unsurprisingly for Alex, Korra was a rather passionate and hot blooded girl. Whenever he showed her the slightest hint of physical affection, and there was no one around to see, something primal would awaken in the young girl, and a soft, gentle kiss would quickly escalate into the two teens all but devouring each other in heated make-out sessions, and by no means was either teen complaining.

Of course, they controlled themselves when it came to their more… intimate urges. Neither of them were ready for that just yet, and hadn't even removed a single article of clothing during one of these sessions, save for Korra's hair band, but that didn't stop them from getting a little handsy with each other.

Reactions to their new relationship were rather mixed amongst Alex and Korra's peers. Tenzin and Pema's children squealed in childish delight, bombarding them with questions, Meelo being the exception, showing no interest. Although it was more likely that he didn't understand what was going on. Mako approved greatly of the new couple, as did Asami. Pema reacted similarly to her daughters, and Bolin smiled brightly at the sight of them together, saying they were a match made in heaven. Perhaps the most amusing reaction was Tenzin's. He looked part way between congratulating them and having an aneurysm, given how red his face was. No one was quite sure how exactly he felt about the relationship between the Avatar and the Detective, but he said that he supported them.

Now, they had to keep this from the public. If word got out that Avatar Korra was dating Detective Alexander Beifong, the press would have a field day. Not to mention Tarrlok, who would probably find a way to use this against both of them. Plus, the would get little to no privacy if their relationship became known to the Republic City civilians. Considering Alex's reputation with the ladies, some of the couple's friends actually feared for Korra's life. And she wasn't exactly unpopular with the young men of the city, and some of the older ones too, so Alex could very well be in a pickle himself.

Of course, Alex refrained from telling his mother about him and the Avatar. No telling how she would react.

* * *

Back to the gang, Alex, sticking to his assignment of keeping an eye on Korra whenever she leaves Air Temple Island, was assisting the Fire Ferrets with their training. Mostly Bolin, as they are both Earthbenders, but he sparred with the other two on occasion. Currently, he was showing Bolin how to put more force behind an attack with a single earth disk.

"As you know, stay light on your toes." He instructed, demonstrating. Bolin nodded and copied his movements. "When you lift the disks, give them the slightest spin inwardly as soon as you release the attack." He continued, bringing two disks up. As he punched the air, sending the disks towards the target, a dummy with Tahno's face on its head, the disks flew straight towards the dummy, spinning through the air before hitting it, collapsing it's stomach.

"Whoa!" Bolin gasped in awe, seeing the force behind such a simple change in a normal attack. "I always just throw them without the spinning." he said with an excited grin.

"Most Pro-benders do." Alex nodded. "But I checked the rules. There is nothing that prohibits spinning earth disks." He crossed his arms with a smirk.

"My turn!" Bolin said with enthusiasm, getting into his stance. Staying light on his toes as usual, he brought two disks up, and like Alex, he shot them forward, putting a slight spin on them. The air doing the rest of the work, the disks spun through the air, slamming into the Tahno dummy, smashing it in two. "Woo! Who's the man?" Bolin asked with a wide grin and a thumbs up.

"You know guys, I have a good feeling about tonight's match." Korra said as she grabbed a towel from a nearby chair, wiping away some sweat. "I don't care if we're the underdogs, we can take those pompous Wolfbats." She slammed a fist into her hand.

"I look forward to watching that." Alex chuckled at his girlfriend's fiery attitude.

"It'll be our toughest match ever, but I think you're right." Mako agreed with the Avatar.

"Introducing, your new champions, the Fire Ferrets!" Bolin whooped as he slung an arm around his brother. Korra and Alex laughed at the youngest member of their team, before the radio in the room suddenly crackled with static, the music turning into the familiar voice of a certain Equalist Leader.

"Good morning, citizens of Republic City." Amon spoke in his cold, eary voice. Instinctively, Alex wrapped an arm around Korra, knowing this sudden announcement would bother her. "This is Amon. I hope you enjoyed last night's Pro-bending match, because it will be the last. It's time for this city to stop worshipping Bending athletes as they were heroes. I am calling on the Council to shut down the bending Arena and cancel the finals, or else there will be severe consequences." The Equalist leader warned before the radio went back to music.

"That guy has some nerve." Bolin growled, glaring at the radio.

"You think the Council will give in?" Mako asked, clearly unsettled. If the Council cancelled the finals, all of the Fire Ferrets' hard work would be rendered worthless. Not to mention the fact that Hiroshi's sponsoring of the Fire Ferrets would have been for naught as well, and that would upset Asami.

"Tenzin probably will, but I can't speak for the rest of the Council." Alex spoke up with a frown.

"Well I'm not waiting to find out. We need to get to the City Hall." Korra spoke with finality. Alex noticed the determination in her tone, which was much more genuine than it was before, when she was hiding her fear of Amon.

* * *

The group made their way to City Hall on Naga. Once they arrived, Korra pushed the double doors open and barged right in, finding a semi-circle shaped desk with five occupants, two being Tarrlok and Tenzin, who looked at the newcomers in shock.

"Korra, Alexander, you shouldn't be here." He stood up. "This is a closed meeting." He said with a stern glare.

"As the Avatar and Pro-bending player, I have a right to be heard." Korra returned as the group stopped just short of the large desk. "You can't cancel the finals."

"I know that winning the championship means a lot to you. But as far as I'm concerned, we need to shut the Arena down." Tenzin said, trying to be patient.

"What about the rest of you? Tarrlok, there's no way you're backing down from Amon right?" Korra asked her fellow Water Tribe Citizen.

"Actually, Tenzin and I agree for once." The man responded, standing up.

"The Council is unanimous." Tenzin nodded. "We are closing the Arena." He stated firmly.

"No!" Mako cried.

"You can't!" Bolin cried.

"I-I don't understand." Korra stammered in confusion "I thought you of all people would take a stand against Amon!" she exclaimed in Tarrlok's direction.

"Whilst I am still determined to bring that lunatic to justice, I will not put innocent lives at stake just so you and your friends can play a game." He said with finality. Alex wanted to argue with that logic, knowing how important Pro-Bending is to his girlfriend, but he was still a Police Detective, and he had to consider the lives of the Republic City's citizens.

"Pro-bending might just be a game to you, but think of what it means to the city!" Mako spoke up. "Right now the Arena is the only place where benders and non-benders can gather together in peace to watch benders-"

"Beat each other up!" Bolin quickly intervened, making Alex sweatdrop. "In peace! It's an inspiration to everyone!" He added, making the Detective sigh. Thinking of something, he stepped forward and spoke.

"Councilman, have you considered what happens _after_ you close the arena?" He asked. "If you give in to Amon's demands, you're just giving him more power. The public will see that he's the stronger party, and will rally up behind him, and the Equalists will become an even bigger problem." He warned. Half of the councilmen were quite surprised by the young Detective's logic, even his friends. Still, no one could refute it. "Furthermore, this is a golden opportunity that you'd be passing up. We could use this match to lure Amon in and might actually bring him in." he added.

"I appreciate your naïve idealism, but you're ignoring the reality of the situation." Tarrlok answered. "Plus, whilst I can see the logic behind your idea, Detective, I'm afraid it's too risky, with all the civilians in the arena." He told the young Detective. "I'm sorry, but our decision is made. This meeting is adjourned."

As he spoke, Tarrlok lifted a gavel, and was about to slam it down, symbolizing the decision being final. However, just as the gavel was about to make contact with the table, a metal cable flew through the air out of nowhere, destroying the gavel. Everyone turned their attention Alex, as he was the only Metalbender in the room that had any Metalbender cables.

"Not me, I swear!" He held his hands up.

"It was me." A familiar voice piped. Everyone turned to the direction the voice came from, finding none other than Lin Beifong. "And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with the Avatar and my son." She stated.

"You do?" Tarrlok asked in surprise.

"Yeah, you do?" Korra asked, just as surprised, if not more.

"That's a first…" Alex deadpanned under his breath. If Lin heard him, she didn't make any indication that she did. She just focussed her gaze on the Council.

"I expected this kind of cut-and-run response from Tenzin, but the rest of you? Come on, show a little more back bone!" She urged. "It's time for the benders of this city to display some strength and unity against these Equalists." She declared, making Tenzin frown.

"We must prevent the conflict between benders and non-benders from escalating into an all-out war!" He countered. "The Council is not changing its position." He said with finality.

"Now wait just a moment Tenzin." Tarrlok piped up. "Let us hear what our esteemed Chief of Police has to say." He suggested, making the Airbender grunt in frustration.

"If you keep the Arena open, my metalbenders and I will provide extra security during the championship match. There is no better force to deal with the chi blockers; our armor is impervious to their attacks." Lin said with confidence.

"So you agree your son's plan has merit." Tarrlok observed. "Are you saying that you will personally take responsibility for the safety of the spectators in the Arena?" He asked interestedly.

"I guarantee it." Lin promised. Tarrlok placed a hand on his chin in thought.

"Hmm, it _is_ hard to argue with both Chief and Detective Beifong's track record." he noted. "If they are both confident that the elite officers can protect the Arena, then the Chief has my support. I am changing my vote." he decided, raising a hand. "Who else is with me?" He asked. Of course, all of the Council members changed their votes as well. All except for Tenzin.

"The Arena stays open. Good luck in the finals." Tarrlok declared.

Alex and the Fire Ferrets whooped in victory after hearing the Council's decision. Korra subtly gave Alex a one armed hug, which that the young Metalbender thoroughly enjoyed. What they didn't notice, was both Tarrlok and Lin looking at the couple, Tarrlok with interest, and Lin with disapproval. Tarrlok thought that if there was something going on there, he could potentially use it to get them on his Task Force again. Lin, however, did not like the idea of her son getting too close to Korra. Avatar or not, she was trouble, and the Chief knew it.

"A word please, Lin." Tenzin's voice brought the Chief of Police out of her thoughts. With a light scowl, Lin begrudgingly followed the Airbender to the City Hall's hallway.

"What do you want, Tenzin?" She asked impatiently.

"Tarrlok is playing you, and I don't want to see you get hurt." Tenzin answered.

"I know what I'm doing and the risk that comes with it." Lin scoffed.

"In that case I am going to be by your side during the game." Tenzin decided.

"I don't need you to babysit me." Lin shot back, prompting a roll of Tenzin's eyes.

"It's for Korra. I want to make sure she's safe." He explained

"Do whatever you want!" she snapped, sick of being in the same room as the Airbender. "It's not like I've ever been able to stop you before." She added bitterly, walking right past Alex and Korra as they approached.

"Excuse me, Chief Beifong. I wanted to thank you for help." Korra tried to thank the Chief, but Lin ignored her and just kept walking. "It really… means… a lot..." She slumped in frustration as Lin left, not acknowledging her. "What is her deal? Even when she's on my side she's against me!" She asked of Tenzin and Alex.

"I've known Lin since we were children. She's always been… challenging." Tenzin said, his mind going back to the past.

"Understatement of the century much?" The young Detective deadpanned.

"What did your father do to make her hate the Avatar so much?" Korra asked in bewilderment.

"Ha!" Alex laughed loudly. "Aang's not the problem here Korra." The Metalbender laughed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a smirk on his face.

"Alexander is right. My father and Lin got along famously. I'm afraid her issues are… with me." Tenzin sighed.

"Wait a second... it all makes sense now!" Korra gasped as a thought struck her. "You and Beifong, Beifong and you… You two were a couple!" She realised, a giant smile on her face.

"What!?" Tenzin exclaimed, stiffening.

"We have a winner!" Alex announced dramatically.

"Who told you?" Tenzin demanded of Korra, ignoring Alex.

"Ha! Your wife." Korra responded, a sly smirk on her face.

"Criminy… I'll have to have a word with her…" Tenzin grumbled under his breath

"So, Pema stole you from Beifong huh?" Korra asked, placing a hand on her chin. "I'm surprised our 'esteemed' Chief of Police didn't through her in jail." She commented with an amused grin.

"Well, she tried." Alex and Tenzin deadpanned in unison.

"Wait, does that mean…" Korra trailed off, pointing back and forth between her boyfriend and her teacher.

"No." They deadpanned in unison again.

" _Could have fooled me…"_ Korra thought to herself bluntly.

"I came along _after_ the break-up." Alex explained. "In fact, the _only_ reason I came along, was because of the break-up." he noted.

"That aside, Pema didn't 'steal me' Korra." Tenzin sighed. "Lin and I had been drifting apart for some time. We both had… different goals in-" He suddenly stopped, realising what he was doing. "Why am I even telling you this?!" He cried, facing the two. "It was 20 years ago, and we've moved past it!" He snapped.

Korra shrugged. "Apparently Beifong hasn't." She smirked.

"Of course she has!" Tenzin shot back, red in embarrassment as he made a hasty retreat.

"See you at home, Mr Heartbreaker!" Korra called out, laughing as Tenzin ran. Alex joined in the laughter. After they had calmed down, Alex spoke.

"She actually has you know." He said, a small smile still stuck on his face from the amusement. Seeing his girlfriend's confusion, he elaborated. "My mom. She moved past the heartbreak a long time ago. She's just not so fond of Tenzin anymore because of it." He explained as they made their way outside.

"Is that really all?" Korra asked, not completely sure if Alex was right.

"Korra, they were together for 10 years." Alex sighed. "Mom thought that Tenzin was 'the one.' What they had was enough for her, but not for him. And then, he just up and left her for a woman, a _girl,_ 12 years younger than her?" Alex asked, shaking his head. "That'll destroy anyone." He reasoned. **(A/N: I am aware that, in canon, the age difference between Tenzin and Pema is 16 years, but to make things line up, in this story, the difference is 13 years.)**

"I suppose so…" Korra murmured in thought as they approached Naga. Apparently, Mako and Bolin had decided to walk back to the Arena. "That doesn't explain why she's so crabby." She frowned.

"That is a story for another day." Alex sighed. "Let's just say Grandma Toph didn't exactly win any 'Mother of the Year' awards, and leave it at that for now." He said. Frowning in thought, Korra agreed, though not without wondering what exactly her boyfriend meant.

"Oh yeah." Korra said as something occurred to her. She delivered a swift, hard punch to Alex's arm, thankful that he wasn't wearing his armour, being off duty.

"Ow!" The Metalbender yelped, rubbing his shoulder. "What the hell was that for?" he demanded, glaring at Korra.

"For not giving me some golden tease material you ass!" Korra laughed as the two mounted Naga. Alex could only roll his eyes at Korra's childish behaviour. Still, he couldn't help but see her logic…

* * *

After perusing around Air Temple Island for about an hour, Alex finally found his girlfriend in the courtyard, practising her Waterbending movements. He carried with him a steaming pot of tea, made by Pema, which was a special blend made to calm nerves. The Metalbender figured Korra could use it, the Pro-Bending finals coming up within a few hours, and the whole thing with Amon. No way of telling how that will go…

"Tea?" Alex's voice brought Korra out of her concentration, though she certainly didn't mind. With a tired smile, she walked over to her boyfriend, who was sitting on the bench at the edge of the courtyard, and took a seat beside him, happily accepting the tea.

"Oh yeah, that hits the spot." She sighed in content, leaning back.

"You that nervous?" Alex asked, sipping his own tea.

"You have no idea." Korra sighed. It was surprising, seeing Korra admit to being nervous so easily like that. Perhaps her experience with Amon on Aang Memorial Island, traumatic as it was, did some good after all.

"Hey, I know you'll do great. Win or lose, this match will undoubtedly be the best ever. I know it." he encouraged her, wrapping an arm around her waist, something he knew she loved. Korra leaned into his grip like a candle melting in the sun. The Detective wasn't done however; he knew exactly what would calm Korra's stress, more so than the tea. Using his free hand, he lifted Korra's face so that they could see into each other's eyes. Both of their faces turning pink, they looked deep into each other's eyes, leaning in for a kiss.

As per usual, the kiss started as a gentle, slow tandem between the two teens' lips. Soon enough, however, they grew hungry for more, Korra more so than Alex, but the point stands. Setting their empty tea cups aside, they deepened the kiss, Korra swinging a leg over Alex's lap, straddling him. Internally, she cursed him for wearing his armour, preventing her from feeling his well built torso. At the same time however, it was the fact that she _couldn't_ touch him that made her want more, prompting her to slip her tongue into his mouth, a favor he returned full force.

The two fought fiercely for dominance, their tongues wrestling in a pleasurable battle. Neither of them were the type to give up easily, and they both knew, from experience, that they enjoyed having control over the other party during their heated make-out sessions. Of course, they enjoyed the other being in control as well, but neither was willing to just surrender without a fight. Sometimes Alex won, sometimes Korra won, and this time, it looked like Alex was about to win.

Until…

"Oh my…" The familiar voice of a certain pregnant lady broke through the teens ears. They instantly separated, looking at the direction Pema's voice had come from. They found her, holding her hand over the eyes of her youngest daughter, who was walking beside her.

"Mommy I can't see!" Ikki whined, trying to remove her mother's hand. She failed. Cheeks blazing in embarrassment, Korra buried her face in Alex's armour clad chest. Whilst it wasn't the most comfortable thing, she just couldn't face anyone who'd seen her like that.

"Ikki, you're being very rude." Pema snapped, shutting her daughter up. "We… ahem, we'll be leaving now." She said to the teens as she walked away, practically dragging Ikki with. Alex, being the only one who saw her face as she walked away, was the only one to see the suggestive grin she put on before leaving the teens to their… devices.

Damned pregnancy hormones…

"I've never been so embarrassed…" Korra murmured into the Detective's chest, making him release a mock-gasp of horror.

"You're embarrassed to be kissing me?" He asked, feigning hurt. Korra looked up at him with a glare.

"Har har…" She chuckled sarcastically. Alex grinned cheekily in response, making the young Avatar roll her eyes. Well, at least she wasn't nervous anymore. That was a plus.

* * *

 **Ok, so this chapter is shorter than most, but to be fair, I haven't worked on this story for a while. Sorry. I seem to go through phases, one franchise after the other. It's a vicious circle, one I'm not sure I can break. Don't expect updates on this story anytime soon. I'm just not really feeling any inspiration. Sorry.**


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